Shadow within the Light
by AnUnknownStranger
Summary: After the Byers and Eleven left Hawkins, things seemed to be well within the town, but what happens when the Mindflayer returns after four years with a vengeance? This time the party will need to face the enemy within someone they will have to stop without Eleven's help. LOTS OF MILEVEN!
1. Returning the Hawkins

**Here's my take on what life has been like in the town of Hawkins since the Byers and El move. Its set four years later from the events of season 3 but it will dive into what the dynamic has been like within those 4 years. Rated T for some mature themes but nothing worse than what would be in a PG-13 movie. Anyway! I hope you all enjoy! -An Unknown Stranger. **

* * *

December 16, 1989

The Hawkins town sign passed by the Byers car as they made their way back to Hawkins, Indiana. Since moving to Chicago, Illinois the Byers and El had managed to visit Hawkins every summer and Christmas since 1985. This was their first year doing it without Jonathan, who had already moved back to Hawkins to be with Nancy.

In Will and Eleven's four year absence from the small town they had still managed to keep close to their friends. Fighting inter-dimensional creatures formed a bond between them that distance could not break. Mike and Eleven had of course had their difficulties and disagreements like any normal couple but had not broken up again since 85'. Mike wasn't kidding when he told El he would talk to her a lot in her supercom.

Will and El had of course made new friends in Chicago but they weren't nearly as close to them as those in Hawkins.

Although their friends in Hawkins were mentioned on the regular, Hopper was almost but a memory. Any mention of his name tossed Eleven into a pit of despair. She refused to believe he died despite Joyce saying she witnessed it. She believed in her father being alive just as much as she believed her powers would return. Which they did.

Eleven tried to find her father since the return of her abilities but to no avail, yet she continued to try. Will was her number one supporter in her journey to find Hopper. Anytime she lacked faith, he would build it back up. She saw Will as a brother only months into living with him due to his kindness and loving nature. They were always there for one another.

Of course they had days where they bickered like siblings do but it would always be for a quick moment. Will was always the first to apologize since El had a stubbornness about her. They were there for one another when they had nightmares or simply having a rough day. It seemed that the two were destined to be close due to their traumatic experiences.

As they continued to drive, Eleven kept her eyes on the passing trees as she listened to some REO Speed-wagon on her Walkman.

"El..." Joyce called as she looked to Eleven through the front mirror. Eleven's eyes kept fixed out the window. "El..." Joyce called again. Still no response.

Will turned to the backseat and nudged Eleven leg roughly. She pulled off her headphones and furrowed brows at Will in annoyance. "What?"

"Moms calling you." Will answered before turning back around. Eleven's mood changed when she looked to Joyce. "Sorry." She said sincerely.

"It's okay, dear. I was just wondering if you are staying with Max tonight or with me?" Joyce asked curiously.

"Um...I'll probably stay with Max." She replied before putting her headphones back on.

Joyce smirked with amusement before turning her attention back to the road. "I was going to stay at Lucas' tonight, I think Mike and Dustin will be there too." Will informed his mother.

Joyce nodded. "Okay, sweetie." She smiled. "You are staying with Jonathan and Nancy?" Will asked.

"That's what I usually do." Joyce replied gently. Will gave a nod before leaning his head back against the window.

Although Hawkins would truly always be their home, they still found it hard to return to it. As they entered it and observed the snow stick to the ground and trees pass by, they enjoyed the absence of loud city life. Yet, despite its beautiful quiet small town image it was in many ways one of those most terrifying places in their memories. The town-in reality, was a perfect front for the evil that truly lied within it.

* * *

When they arrived, they first reunited with Jonathan at his apartment. After their embraces and quick catching up they sat together on the couch. "Is Nancy still at work?" Joyce asked curiously.

"Yeah she should be home soon." He smiled. "Any update on that proposal?" Joyce teased her son. Jonathan laughed in reply. "No, not yet. Things have been a little chaotic at Hawkins Post. Soon though." He confirmed.

Joyce accepted that answer before Will chimed in to talk to his brother. While they were talking a car horn blared outside. Eleven checked out the window and smiled when she saw Max driving her new mustang. "That's Max, I'll see you all tomorrow." Eleven said as she zipped up her jacket grasped her bag. She gave Joyce a tight hug before walking out the door and joining Max.

Max jumped out of her car and wrapped Eleven into a tight excited embrace. They both climbed back into the car and made their way to Max's house. "I can't tell you enough how relieved I am that you're here. Those boys drive me crazy, I need a girl to talk to." Max joked. Eleven laughed in reply. "You'd think they'd be more mature their senior year of high school." Max added as she rolled her eyes.

"Will drives me insane too trust me." Eleven assured. Max shook her head. "For the past two weeks Mike has only talked about you. I was beginning to get tired of you." She joked again. Eleven pushed her shoulder gently as she laughed.

"Mike insisted that he gets to see you the day you return to Hawkins so apparently I get the day with you and he gets tonight." Max explained with a mischievous grin.

"I didn't know it was up to you two." Eleven smirked. Max rolled her eyes in amusement. "Oh please I know you want to see him today too."

"He's suppose to be hanging out with Will tonight." Eleven raised a brow. "I'm sure he will makeup some excuse." Max shrugged.

"I shouldn't be okay with him lying to my brother but..." Eleven trailed off as she thought about seeing Mike. Max snapped her fingers in front of her face. "Hey it's girl time, no more talking about boys." She ordered. Eleven nodded in agreement.

They made their way to the mall. It had reopened since the four years and was placed under new management. It always felt strange for El, Max, and the boys whenever they entered the mall, it awoke feelings they would most likely never grow out of. The first two visits Eleven and Will refused to enter it, it was only when Joyce decided to accompany them that they went for the first time. Since then it was still an emotional but tolerable experience for them to enjoy some fun at the mall.

Max approached Eleven as she observed some shirts in the Gap. "So I'm thinking about moving to California for college." Max informed her.

El raised her brows in surprise. "That's across the country, Max." She replied with confusion.

"I know...I've just been thinking about it for a while. There aren't great colleges here but there are in California, plus I'm from there." Max explained. Eleven lowered her head in defeat. "It's not for sure yet...but I figured after high school we would kind of be going separate ways anyway." Max shrugged.

"I doubt that, it'll take more than a high school graduation to separate all of us. I think it's been proven that only a inter-dimensional portal could." Eleven argued.

"You and Will left?" Max raised a brow. "To the state right next door. You are talking about the other side of the country Max." Eleven insisted.

Max frowned. "It is still just a thought. I applied to one but I doubt I'll get in." She shrugged.

"What does Lucas think of this?" Eleven asked curiously. "It doesn't matter, we broke up a year ago." Max sighed.

"He's still one of your best friends." Eleven frowned. "I'll tell him soon, for now it's going to just remain a thought." Max replied before continuing to shop.

Eleven dropped it seeing that Max no longer wanted to talk about it. Meanwhile, Will and Dustin met at Lucas' house enjoying their time catching up

"Where's Mike?" Will asked gently. "He called and said he wasn't feeling well." Lucas shrugged.

"He's probably actually sucking face with El." Dustin joked. "Gross man, she's actually with Max right now." Will argued.

Lucas and Dustin shared suspicious looks while Will ignored them.

* * *

Max's car came to a holt in front of Mike's house. "Thanks for the lift." Eleven said as she opened the car door.

"No problem, are we all hanging out tomorrow?" Max asked. "I think so, just remember that I stayed the night at your house." Eleven pointed at Max who gave her a thumbs up. She closed the door and watched Max's car disappear out of view.

She then walked to the back door of the Wheeler home and gave a quiet knock. The door was quickly thrown open and an excited Mike embraced her and spun her around causing them to nearly slip on the snow. He stopped his spinning and gave her a soft kiss. "I missed you!" He smiled. Eleven smiled in amusement, "I missed you too." She said before giving him another quick kiss.

They stepped into the basement which was converted into a large living space for Mike. "Will was expecting to see you tonight." Eleven raised a brow.

"I told Lucas I wasn't feeling well. What they don't know won't hurt them." Mike shrugged.

"Friends don't lie..." Eleven said in a joking manner. "I'll see them tomorrow. I just couldn't wait another day to see you." He smiled. She couldn't stay mad at him for ditching her brother when he said things like that.

"How was the mall with Max?" He asked to change the subject of his current betrayal.

"It was fun. Did you know that she might be leaving to California for college?" Eleven asked as she sat on his bed. Mike nodded as he messed with his tapes. "She told Dustin too. I don't know why she hasn't told Lucas yet, I thought he'd be the first to know." Mike explained.

"I thought so too. Maybe she's afraid he will get upset, I mean Lucas did really love her." Eleven sighed and fell back onto the bed.

"He did, I guess she just didn't feel the same. She still needs to tell him, he has a right to know." Mike argued. Eleven nodded in agreement.

Mike popped in his REO Speedwagon tape and joined Eleven. He sighed as he fell back beside her and gently began to sing the lyrics to "Keep on Loving You ."

Eleven turned over and rested her head on his chest. "I missed you." She said softy.

He rolled over so he could hover over her, his face inches from her's. "I missed you too." He replied just as soft. Their lips connected in an unbreakable passion that went on through the night.

* * *

Sometime after the sun had risen, Will, Dustin, and Lucas decided to go check on Mike. "If he's sick shouldn't we leave him alone?" Will asked.

"Were you born yesterday? He probably isn't sick." Lucas argued as he continued to drive.

"Why would he lie about being sick?" Will questioned. Dustin and Lucas shared looks of disbelief. "He is obviously with El. She probably just said that she was staying with Max." Dustin added.

Will shook his head. "I saw Max pick her up. You two are going to look like idiots when you disturb a sick Mike." He argued as he leaned against the window.

"Even if we are wrong, we are all suppose to hangout today anyway." Lucas concluded. Will sighed.

Meanwhile, Eleven's sleeping form rested against Mike. She only awoke when his mom yelled from the upstairs kitchen. "Mike, Lucas called! He said they were on their way about ten minuets ago!" She informed.

His eyes widened and he quickly shot out of bed. He picked their clothes up off the ground and shoved them in his dresser and her suitcase. Eleven sat up with a tired and confused expression. "Here quickly change." He said as he tossed clothes at her.

She watched as he changed into his clothes in a panic. "Mike relax."

"You're gonna blow my cover." Mike replied as he continued to tidy up his room. She rolled her eyes amused before also changing.

Just as she finished, a knock came from the basement door. He opened the door revealing Lucas, Dustin, and Will. "Aha! I knew it." Lucas motioned to Eleven.

"Max just dropped her off." Mike argued as he grasped her hand.

"Okay where's Max then?" Dustin raised a brow as he observed the room.

Mike bit the bottom of his lip before answering. "Um..." he was cut off when a knock came from the door. Lucas opened it revealing Max. Mike pressed his hand to his forehead in defeat. "Oh look it's Max!" Dustin exclaimed. Eleven couldn't help but laugh at Mike's failure of a lie.

"You didn't think that one through Wheeler." Max smirked. "Okay well I'm horrified enough, can we go do something?" Will asked.

"Well it's snowing outside. Why don't we go ice skating?" Max suggested. They all nodded in agreement.

Eleven and Mike grabbed their coats and joined the others outside hand-in-hand. Everyone went to jump into Lucas and Max's car, but before Eleven could Will pulled her aside. "That wasn't cool lying to mom and I about where you were last night." He frowned.

"It was last minuet, I thought I was staying at Max's. I'm sorry." She apologized gently as she pulled her hand away from his.

"What if something happened to you? We wouldn't have known where you were." Will argued. "Relax, you're beginning to sound like Joyce." Eleven sighed before joining Mike and hopping into Max's car.

Will shook his head before jumping into Lucas' car. They reversed out of Mike's driveway and made their way to the ice rink.

As they drove Will felt an all too familiar feeling, one that sent chills up his neck and terror through his body. He grasped his neck and scanned the woods frantically out the window as they drove. "You okay Will?" Dustin asked as he turned around from the front seat. Will relaxed and leaned back in his seat, "yeah I'm okay..." Dustin nodded and turned back around.

Meanwhile at the edge of the town a shadow made its way into Hawkins. The shadow moved swiftly and carried a vengeance. A vengeance that Eleven perhaps could not even defeat.


	2. Sibling Bonds

**Thank you for the follows and review on the last chapter! I did kill Lumax but it will be a little explained this chapter! They still do very much love each other and hey ya never know, crazy experiences tend to bring the gang closer together. Stay tuned! -An Unknown Stranger**

* * *

When they arrived at the ice rink, it wasn't long before they were all on the ice skating around one another. Mike and Eleven were of course hand-in-hand blissfully in love while the others mocked per usual.

"What was up with Will?" Mike asked her as he kept his eyes on the ice. He was never really great at skating so he kept very focused. Eleven on the other-hand was a natural. "He's just overly protective sometimes." She shrugged.

Mike gave a short laugh. "He has nothing to worry about anymore, besides you were with me." He smiled. "He's not worried about something else hurting me, he's just worried about me. You know how I get when I'm back here." She explained softly.

Mike nodded. "Well I'm here for you in that case also. No matter what I'm here for you." He said before leaning to kiss her temple. When he leaned he became off-balance on the ice causing them to slip together. Mike's eyes widened when he realized what he had done so he quickly tried to help her back onto her feet, only to slip again. Eleven continued to laugh at his clumsiness before standing and helping him back onto his feet. "Thanks." He smiled with his cheeks red with embarrassment.

Lucas and Max sat at the side of the rink watching them with amusement. Max turned to Lucas weary of what she was about to tell him. "Lucas..." she began. He turned to her smiling widely. "Yes?"

She didn't fumble around her words but instead got straight to the point. "I applied for colleges in California." She informed.

His smile fell. "You applied for one's here also right?" He raised a brow. She shook her head. "I want to expand from Hawkins. California has a lot of opportunities for me." She explained gently. Lucas kept his eyes on his hands as he listened. "I'll visit when I can." Max added with a hopeful tone.

"Will and El live one state over and barely visit, Max. You'd be moving to the other side of the country." He said as he returned his eyes back to her's.

She nodded slowly. "My mom and step-dad said they'd move to California too."

"You're step-dad agreed to go back to California?" Lucas raised a brow. "He doesn't love the idea but this place just reminds him of Billy. Sure they fought but he was still his son." Max shrugged.

Lucas looked back to his clasped hands. "We aren't kids anymore Lucas...we don't have bad guys or monsters to fight together anymore, now we have life to face." Max explained softly. Lucas nodded gently, Max pulled him in for a hug and held him tightly. "I haven't gotten into anywhere yet, so for now let's enjoy our holiday and senior year together." She sighed.

Lucas pulled away from her and stood. He then turned to her and held out a hand, "can we finish skating first?" He asked with a smile. She gave a small laugh before grasping his hand and joining him on the ice.

After they all finished skating they went back to Mike's basement to watch a movie and enjoy the warmth of the indoors. Eleven's head rested on Mike's lap as they sat on the couch watching "Back to the Future Part 2"

Will sat on the other end of the couch, Dustin sat on the lazy-boy, and Max and Lucas sat on the floor and leaned against the couch. "Part 2 isn't nearly as good as the first." Dustin stated. "The second is never better than the first, everyone knows that." Lucas added.

"Can you two shut up? You do this every movie." Max frowned. Dustin and Lucas smirked in reply to her annoyance.

Mike ran his fingers through Eleven's hair as he continued to watch the movie. Eleven was beginning to fall asleep with how relaxing it was to again be in Mike's arms and surrounded by her friends. When she finally drifted off it wasn't long until she was knocked back into the dark reality of her mind.

Eleven found herself standing in a dark room surrounded by cement walls and dim lights. A chair and a water bucket were the only other occupants in the room, that was until two guards entered dragging a man. She pressed herself against the wall and felt her heart race seeing the prisoner fight with terror.

They shoved the man into the chair and then held his neck firmly. "Information will grant you peace!" Another man had entered with a funny accent and uniform. He closed the door behind him when he entered causing them to all be locked inside, including Eleven.

The prisoner stayed silent in reply. "Put him under!" The man ordered. The prisoner was shoved into the water and submerged for several moments. Eleven walked forward and began to yell. "Stop!" She yelled repeatedly. They could not hear her.

She yelled stop again but this time awoke from her sleep. Mike leaned back in surprise as she sat up breathing heavily with terror in her eyes. Everyone in the room looked to her with worried eyes. Mike held her face gently in his hands, "hey it was just a dream, it's okay. You're here." He said soothingly. Her hands that were balled into tight fists were grasped by Will who gave her sincere eyes. She relaxed and leaned her head against Mike's chest as she looked at Will. "Let's call mom and have her pick us up." Will suggested gently. She gave a small nod and wiped her tears. "I can drive you back to Jonathan's." Mike cut in.

"Okay." Will replied as he pulled Eleven up. He put his arm around her as they made their way to the door. "I'll be back guys." Mike informed Max, Lucas, and Dustin. They all nodded.

Mike grabbed Eleven's bag before joining them back at the car. He put the bag in the trunk and then jumped into the drivers side. Will sat in the back and Eleven sat in the front with her elbow propped against the window. He began to drive with one hand on the wheel and the other holding her hand. "I thought the therapy was helping with the nightmares..." Mike said gently.

She shrugged. "I don't have as many but I still have them." She sniffled.

"Is it the same one?" Will asked her softly. She nodded and kept her eyes out the window.

"Same one?" Mike raised a brow as he looked to her with concerned eyes.

"She dreams that someone is being water boarded." Will informed. "Do you know who?" Mike asked as he looked to both of them. Eleven shot her brother a look that said "don't say anything"

Will leaned back and shook his head. "We don't know." He lied. Mike seemed to accept that answer. The rest of the ride to the apartment was mainly silent. Will grabbed her bag and stepped into the apartment. Mike held Eleven tightly and rested his chin on her head. "Call me if you need me." He said gently. She gave a nod and felt him press a kiss to her forehead before stepping away.

She walked into the apartment and was met by Joyce's concerned eyes. "Why don't you go lay down, sweetie." She said before giving her a hug. Eleven always loved that fact that Joyce never pressured her to talk or explain. Joyce always knew what Eleven needed whether that was a simply hug, some rest, or an ear to listen when or if she decided to explain her feelings. Eleven wandered into the guest room and layed on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

Will knocked on the doorframe before entering. "Why didn't you want Mike to know that you think it's Hopper?" He asked before sitting next to her.

She shrugged. "I don't want to get his hopes up that he's alive." She replied quietly. "You think he's alive." Will argued.

"I have to believe he is. Mike on the other hand, I know if he thought so too he'd go any length to find him. Like he did for me." She explained.

"Is that a bad thing?" Will questioned. "Is is if there's a chance they will do to him what I see them doing to Hopper." She frowned.

"We don't know if that's real. He may not be in any danger." Will suggested. "You and I know that isn't likely." She sighed.

"Mom thinks those are just dreams you are having, so for now let's hope she's right." Will added. "She only says that because she thinks he's dead." Eleven said before rolling onto her side.

Will stood onto his feet and stopped arguing. "Well I think you should tell Mike. He thought he lost you but kept hope and when he did find you, it turned out you weren't in any danger." Will explained gently before leaving. Eleven sighed deeply, she hated how he usually had the great points.

Will had left the house later in the day to join the others back at Mike's. Jonathan dropped him off and picked Nancy up, who had visited her mother after work. Will quickly gave Nancy a hug since he hadn't seen her before walking back down to the basement.

Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Max all had their eyes locked on him. "How is she?" Mike asked worriedly.

"She will be fine, she's just got to sleep it off." Will said sitting on the couch.

"So therapists just tell her to sleep it off?" Mike questioned. "Of course not-I'm just not going to share her personal business." Will stated as he leaned back. "Well it's nice to know she shares it with you. You guys keeping secrets or whatever that was in the car." Mike shook his head.

"Guys really?" Max jumped in with clear annoyance. Lucas and Dustin kept watching and enjoying the show.

"I'm her brother Mike, of course she will share things with me that she doesn't with you." Will argued. "Well I was there for her first, I thought she would remember that even when gaining a brother." Mike frowned.

"You two are being ridiculous. Mike, like it or not, Will is basically El's brother so she will share things with him, also why don't you just ask her?" Lucas questioned. "And Will, Mike was there for her since the beginning so he has a right to worry about her getting the right help." Dustin added.

Will and Mike looked to the two with surprise. "Now that will be ten dollars each for this counseling session." Dustin joked. Will apologized, then Mike followed with slight reluctance. Ownership wasn't his strong suit.

"Okay can we watch another movie or something now?" Max asked as she turned to the tv. They popped in another movie and enjoyed the rest of their day together.

When Will returned to his brothers apartment, he decided to take Eleven out for a drive to get back out of the house. They loaded up into Joyce's car and Will began to drive toward his old house.

Eleven was silent most of the way with her eyes looking out the window. She only turned to him when she noticed them pass by the old house. "Aren't we checking out your old house?" She asked gently.

"No, I thought we'd change it up." He sighed. They continued to drive until they were headed down a slip path through the woods. Eleven recognized the drive and began to panic. "No, Will I don't want to go." She fought.

"Do you trust me?" He asked softly as he looked to her. She pondered for a moment before nodding. He smiled and looked back to the road.

The car came to a holt in front of the old cabin. Eleven stepped out of the car and felt her feet plant into the ground, her heart racing with emotions. Will grasped her hand before guiding her to the front door. She pulled away once they reached the doorway. "Will I can't do this. I only...think about him when I think of this place." She began to feel tears slip down her cheeks.

"That's the point. You can't keep forcing yourself to act like he didn't exist. If you want this trip to be a good one then facing your past will help that happen." Will explained sincerely.

She gave a shaky breath before taking a step inside. As she continued inside she could practically smell the scent of his cologne, hear the sound of his boots against the wood flooring, and see the image of him leaned back in his lazy-boy watching Miami Vice. The place was all but destroyed due to the mind flayer but it still held all the memories.

Eleven stopped and picked up one of his flannels. She then sat on the couch and pressed it to her face as she began to sob. Her knees were tucked to her chest and her hands shook as they clenched the plaid fabric.

Will stepped into another room to give her time to grieve alone. He wandered into her old room and began putting anything of sentimental value that she had left into a box for her.

A few minuets had passed before she began wiping her tears and sucking in sharp breaths. She stood and made her way to her old room where she saw Will boxing up some of her belongings. "If you want anything else go ahead and put it in here. We probably shouldn't have waited four years to box all this up." He said as he gave a short laugh.

She gave a nod and placed any drawings or values in the box. Will held up his "Will the Wise" drawing and smiled. "I should start drawing again..." he sighed.

"Why did you stop?" Eleven asked softly. He shrugged. "I don't have the imagination anymore for it I guess." He said as he placed it in the box.

"Maybe drawing Will help you the same way coming here helped me." Eleven suggested. Will gave a small smile, "yeah maybe you're right." He picked up the box and made his way to the door. "Just meet me at the car when you're ready." He said before leaving. She sat on her bed and tangled her fingers through the blue bracelet Hopper had gifted her years ago. She closed her eyes and gave a deep breath of relief. Some of the pain she had been bottling up could finally be released from her shoulders. No more blocking out the past.

Eleven stood and made her way to the door. She turned around and gave one last look at her room before pulling the door back and making sure to leave it open three inches. When she walked back outside, she walked right into Will's open arms. "Thank you..." she sighed. He pulled her closer in reply. They then made their way back to the apartment with a happier state of mind.

When they opened the front door, they were met by Mike's form sitting on the couch speaking to his sister. "I'm gonna go to bed, I'll see you guys in the morning." Will said as he walked to his room. "I'm going to head to bed too." Nancy gave Eleven a quick embrace before also going to bed.

Eleven walked over to Mike and fell into his arms. They layed on the couch, tucked close to each other in silence for several moments. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He said softly. "I am now...I went to the cabin." She informed. Mike's eyes widened with surprise, she hadn't been there since his death. "How did it go?" He asked.

"Good...I'm glad I went. It helped." She confessed. Mike nodded slowly. "I'm glad you have Will. He knows how to help you in ways I can't..." He explained gently.

"He lost Hop too...he was there for him when his own dad wasn't." Eleven replied. "I was upset before that you share things with him that you don't with me, I understand now how wrong that is. I should just be happy you're sharing your feelings." Mike explained in a whisper.

She was tangling her fingers through his as she listened. "I just know you were close to Hop too. I didn't want to upset you also." She whispered back with sincerity. "I do miss him...a lot. Sometimes I wonder if he sees the door not always being open three inches." He gave a short laugh. Eleven smiled. "I'm sure if he was here he wouldn't care anymore...he'd just be happy that you make me happy." She replied as she looked up at him.

He tucked a hair behind her ear. "I love you." He replied quietly. "I love you too." She whispered back with a smile.

Before he could give her a kiss she stood and left to get dressed. She then stepped back out to the living room where he was still laying on the couch. "Are you coming to bed?" She whispered. He stumbled off the couch and followed her to bed where he was happy just to be there for her. Her head was again rested on his chest so she could listen to the rise and fall of his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair and stared up at the ceiling. "Why don't you move here and live with me?" He asked softly. She kept her eyes closed and mumbled, "we can't afford it."

"Well after we graduate we can get jobs like anyone else and then get our own place. Just like Nancy and Jonathan did." He explained with quiet excitement.

"Sure..." she mumbled again tiredly. His eyes widened with excitement at her response. "Really?" He whispered harshly. "Go to sleep Mike...before I change my mind." She added as she continued to fall asleep. He closed his eyes and fell asleep with a smile on his face.

As they slept a darkness continued to make its way through the town. It weaved through buildings almost as if it was searching for something...someone.


	3. Promise

**Thank for the positive feedback! If you have seen my previous stories you would notice the reoccuring theme of me putting Eleven through hell, just like how the Duffer Brothers put Will through it. Sad to say that theme is continuing. I really loved writing this chapter and i hope you all like it too! - An Unknown Stranger**

* * *

The following morning, Mike awoke to the a knock on the bedroom door. "It's just me." Will's voice came. "Come in." Mike replied before placing a pillow over his face.

"My mom wasn't thrilled that she didn't find you on the couch this morning." Will laughed. Mike took the pillow off his face and looked to Eleven who was sleeping and pressed to his side. "Relax she not mad." Will informed him with an amused smile.

"Okay...then is there something I can help you with?" Mike asked curiously. "Well it's nearly ten so I thought you guys would like to start your day or something." Will said with a hint of judgement in his voice.

Mike gave a nod. "We will be out in a minuet." He said as he sat up. Will closed the door in response and joined Jonathan, Nancy, and his mother in the living room.

"Alright." Will sighed before sitting on the couch. "Those two are something else." Jonathan shook his head.

"They're young adults, I was the same way and if I recall so were you two." Joyce argued. Nancy smiled and leaned into Jonathan with a bright smile.

Mike and Eleven joined them a couple minutes later, dressed and ready for the day. "How are you feeling sweetie?" Joyce asked Eleven softly.

"Better...this trips going to be different." She assured Joyce as she poured herself and Mike a cup of coffee. "Happy to hear." Joyce smiled.

"Well I'd imagine you two will go hangout with your friends again today?" Joyce asked as she looked from Will to Mike and Eleven. They all nodded in unison.

"Just remember we are having dinner at the Wheelers tonight." Jonathan cut in. "They are?" Mike asked as he sat with Eleven at the table.

"Mom called, apparently you didn't tell her where you went last night. So when she called we planned it." Nancy explained. "I told dad." Mike argued but then realized that was perhaps not the best. "Yeah maybe just tell mom next time." Nancy replied to which Mike gave a nod.

"Well I'm ready to go if you guys are." Will said as he stood. "Yeah, let's go." Mike replied as he also stood. They waved goodbye and then jumped into Mike's station-wagon.

"So I'll drop you off at Dustin's. El and I have some separate plans today." Mike informed Will. "We do?" Eleven furrowed her brows with confusion. Mike nodded, "we do, remember we talked about it last night?" He raised a brow. She was still immensely confused.

"Well...you guys have fun." Will replied with almost the same amount of confusion as El. Once Will was dropped off at Dustin's, Mike began driving Eleven to his secret destination. "I was kind of half asleep when you were talking to me last night. Where are we going?" She asked with suspicion. Mike smiled with an amused grin. "We are going to look at some apartments." He informed.

She raised her brows. "Do you have the money to buy an apartment right now cause I don't." She stated. "Well I still have the money I saved from my summer job which would get us about two months rent." He shrugged. "Then...?" She inquired. "Well we will both have jobs by time we buy the place also. I was planning for you to move here after we graduate." He explained.

"And leave Will and Joyce?" Eleven questioned. "I mean...yeah. I didn't think you planned on living with them forever." He laughed. She leaned back. "Yeah I guess you're right." She sighed. Mike gave a nod. "There's no harm in looking." She added. "Exactly." He smiled and held her hand.

He stopped in front of a row of apartments. "Pine Apartments." Mike read the sign. "Sounds nice." He smiled as he pulled the keys out of the ignition. Eleven followed him into the office where a less than eager employee offered to show them around. The first one they saw was a one bedroom, one bath, with a small living room and kitchen. The walls were a beige and the carpet was brown with some tears here and there. "Not bad..." Mike said as his eyes wandered around.

Eleven walked out of the bedroom and then observed the bathroom. "I can't really complain." She shrugged.

"How much do these usually go for?" Mike asked with a smile. "It's start at $300 and that's not including electricity and appliances." The employee informed.

His smile slowly dropped. "We...will get back to you." He said before grasping Eleven's hand and leaving. When they got into the car, Eleven couldn't contain her laughter. "How much do you have saved?" She raised a brow. "About $800..." he sighed and pressed his forehead to the wheel. "Well we will get a job before we graduate like we discussed and save, then we keep working." She encouraged. He turned to her with hope returning to his eyes. "You are still up for this?" He asked. She placed a hand on his back and smiled, "I think this is the easiest thing we have handled together so far."

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss before starting the car. "Alright I think that's enough for today." He said as he backed the car out. They had only seen one but seeing more would only raise their hopes and expectations higher.

"So we have the day to ourselves...what do you want to do now?" She leaned against her elbow on the door and kept her eyes on him as he drove. He smiled, "I have some ideas."

Mike decided to twist a failed days attempt at finding apartments into a full date. He took her to the mall where he decided to buy her an inexpensive promise ring while she was off looking at clothing. Afterwards, he then took her to lunch at one of the diners where they continued to share stories one another had missed while separated.

As a conclusion to their date day, Mike drove her to the cliff they had gone to as kids that overlooked the quarry. The cliff was currently covered in snow but held a beautiful sight of the sunlight hitting the ice of the lake as it began to set.

They stayed sat in his car to stay somewhat warm. Eleven rested her head on his shoulder as she observed the view with a state of bliss. She only lifted her head when she felt him fumbling for something in his pocket. He pulled out a small silver ring and grasped her hand. Her eyes widened with surprise and the thought of what he may be doing. "Relax it's just a promise ring." He laughed. She almost sighed aloud with relief, she wasn't ready for marriage and she knew it.

"Mike...you didn't-"

"I wanted to." He interrupted. "I have known you, El Hopper, for six years now...and I want to promise you something now." He began. She listened intently as she looked at him with complete adoration. "I was the one that taught you what promise means and now I'm going to promise that I will always keep this one." He added. "Mike..." she smiled as he fumbled around his words. Even now she made him nervous.

"Okay." He stopped for a moment before continuing. "I promise that I will continue to protect you- even though it's mainly you protecting me." He laughed. -"and be there for you for anything. Anything." He said firmly. She continued to smile and listen. "I promise that I will keep loving you." He looked her in the eye at his final sentence and made sure to say it firmly.

He wiped away a stray tear from her eye before putting the ring on her finger. "That is what this ring will mean." He added before giving her hand a kiss. He felt her hand move his face to meet hers. "I love you, Mike Wheeler." She smiled as he brought his lips to hers.

Their simple kiss of love turned into a fit of passion as they failed to break any gesture of love. They were unaware of how much time passed before they realized it was nightfall and they were nowhere near ready for dinner.

Mike quickly buckled his belt and pulled his shirt back on before jumping back into the front seat. El laughed as she also pulled her pants and shirt back on before hopping into the passenger seat. "My moms gonna kill me." He said as he reversed the car quickly. "I'm sure Joyce is distracting her with some gossip." Eleven replied to ease the tension.

"I sure hope so." He sighed. When they arrived and walked through the front door, everyone was dishing up their plates. "Shit I didn't know everyone was coming." Mike whispered. Dustin, Lucas, and Max were also present at the dinner.

"Nice of you two to join. You guys should probably fix your hair." Nancy said with an amused smile before walking away.

They quickly ran their hands through their hair before approaching everyone in the kitchen. "Glad you two decided to join us." Karen said before embracing Eleven. "Sorry, my car got stuck in the snow." Mike said as he picked up a plate and handed it to El. "I thought those snow chains we put on the car would help, Mikey." Dustin cut in with an amused grin. Mike glared at Dustin and only received quiet laugher from all four.

"Well I'm just glad you managed to pull it free." Karen replied as she dished Ted his plate. Mike choked on the water he had just picked up to drink. Karen looked at Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Will who were laughing hysterically. She shook her head and ignored them just as Mike and Eleven tried to do.

Once they all had plates, they sat at the table and engaged in small conversations with one another. "I know I ask this every year but are you three planning on moving back anytime soon?" Karen asked Joyce.

Joyce smiled as she wiped her face. "No, we don't plan on it until Will and El graduate." She replied. Will and Eleven nodded.

Karen nodded and then looked to Eleven. "That's a pretty ring." She said as she gestured to it. Karen did always have an eye for jewelry and the finer things. Everyone's eyes locked on Eleven who nodded with a smile, "Mike gave it to me-"

"It's a promise ring." Mike clarified. Any tension in the room suddenly diminished when he clarified that it wasn't an engagement ring.

"That's so sweet, Mike." Joyce couldn't help but grin seeing the their simple gesture of dedication.

"Yeah that's so sweet, Mike." Lucas and Dustin teased. Mike rolled his eyes.

"So do you two have girlfriends now?" Jonathan asked the two as a way to jokingly embarrass them.

Max sat beside Lucas and could practically feel the awkwardness radiating off of him. "No..." they replied in unison. Mike couldn't hide his snickering.

"Do you two have any plans after graduating?" Karen looked between Will and Eleven. "Not yet...I might just go to a college in Illinois." Will shrugged. "Well you have time to decide." She said to Will before turning to Eleven.

"I'm not sure yet either...I'll probably move back after I graduate." Eleven replied softly.

"Truth is we don't know, after leaving Hawkins I can see how many more opportunities they have. This town becomes even smaller when you leave it." Joyce explained.

"I agree but it has been nice that it's quiet again. This town was starting to drag a lot of attention and from what I hear, they are opening that Hawkins Lab back up." Karen informed with a look of displeasure.

Everyone stopped eating except for Ted and Holly. "When did you hear that?" Mike asked his mother. "This morning." Karen replied.

Eleven stood and quickly left out the front door without saying a word. Mike and Will stood at the same time, "I've got this Will." Mike stated before also leaving. Will slowly sat back down and looked to Max, Dustin, and Lucas. "Was it something I said?" Karen asked worriedly.

"No...she just remembers Hop being connected to that Lab when he was investigating some things." Joyce covered for El. Karen nodded slowly, "Still seems like not too long ago." She frowned. They all nodded in agreement with sad expressions.

Mike ran to Eleven who was sitting on the curb crying. He sat next to her and pulled her to his chest. "We don't know it's the bad men...maybe it really is just a research facility now." Mike tried to assure. She shook her head. "We don't know that...if it's them I can't come back here." She continued to sob into his chest.

"Then if it is-which it probably isn't...I could move to Illinois." He suggested. She shook her head and stood to her feet. "Stop giving up your life for me." She said firmly. He stood to his feet as well, "did you already forget what that ring means?" He asked gently.

"Hawkins is your home, I am not taking that away. I have messed up your life enough and I'm not going to do it again." She said firmly. "Messed up my life? You are the best thing in my life." He furrowed his brows and grasped her hand to which she pulled it away immediately.

"I am the reason you have to worry about that lab taking and interrogating you now, and say they open a gate somehow, then you have to worry about inter-dimensional creatures again Mike!" She yelled with frustration. "Then we face it together again." He argued.

Eleven shook her head. "We both almost died the last time we faced it together. I can't put you through that again." She wiped the tears on her cheeks and looked at him with stern eyes.

"So what are you saying? I promised you I will always protect you and be there for you." Mike was trying not to raise his voice but his emotions were getting the best of him.

"If I'm not here you don't have a promise to keep." She stepped back and began to walk away. He was almost at a loss for words until she started getting farther away. "Where are you going?" He raised his arms. "I just need a minuet to think. Alone!" She yelled.

Mike ran both his hands down his face and sighed deeply. Her stubbornness would be his downfall. He walked back into the house and slammed the door with growing annoyance and frustration. He took a deep breath before stepping back into the dining room. All eyes were on him. "Where's El?" Will asked worriedly.

He sat down and tucked his chair back in roughly. "She just needs to be alone for a minuet." He replied as he started picking at his food. Everyone could clearly see he was upset, he wasn't good at hiding it.

Will looked to Joyce who mouthed "it's fine" to him.

Meanwhile, Eleven walked until she reached the end of the block. She stopped and felt a presence behind her that made her sigh in annoyance. "I said I wanted to be alone, Mike-" she turned around and immediately felt something collide with her head. When her world went dark, that darkness hovered over her, picked her up, and carried her away.


	4. Into the Dark

**So i'm not even going to attempt the Russian language so I dont accidently offend anyone haha. Also, there's a little twist this chapter, I hope you all like it! -An Unknown Stranger.**

* * *

**One Day Ago, Location: Russia**

A Russian commander walked down the hall with his collegues as they made their way to a cell door at the end of the hall.

"We transport the American tonight." The commander ordered. Two soldiers opened a cell with a simple bed sitting in one corner and a thin malnourished man in the other. They approached him and lifted him up roughly before shoving him forward. He stumbled forward and walked down the hallways with his head down.

By time he lifted his head, he realized he was in a transport truck. His wrists were bound with metal cuffs as well as his ankles. Two armed soldiers sat on both sides of him and looked straight ahead at the other side of the truck. "Where am I going...?" He mumbled.

"Quiet." A soldier replied firmly. The truck continued on for an hour before it arrived at it destination. He was then shoved out of the truck and forced onto a small plane where he traveled for several more hours.

A black bag was placed over his head once the plane landed. He was pushed into another truck and again sat in silence until they reached their final destination. The bag was ripped off his head so he could see where he would be spending more of his unjust sentence. "Welcome back Jim Hopper." A soldier said as they stepped into the Hawkins Laboratory.

* * *

**Present Time**

Some time had passed at the dinner table with still no appearance from Eleven. "Its freezing outside. You should go check on her again." Nancy told Mike. He nodded and tossed his napkin onto his plate as he stood. He turned to Will, "maybe you should come with." Mike suggested. Will followed Mike and wandered outside to check on her. "El!" Will called. No answer.

"El!" Mike yelled as his eyes wandered the block. He began walking down the direction she had walked off to but still found no sign of her. "El!" Mike continued to yell. They both felt a pit at the bottom of their stomachs telling them that something wasn't right.

Their unease was rectified when Mike stopped at a small puddle of blood on the pavement. "Please tell me that's not..." Wills voice shook.

Mike turned on his heels and began running back to the house. "El!" He screamed. He continued to yell her name as did Will as they made their way back to the house.

Mike nearly broke the door down with how fast and urgent he had entered it. He ran to the dining room with a heaving chest. Will stopped at his side with equally panicked eyes. "She's gone. Someone took her." Mike informed everyone.

Joyce felt her world crash for a moment. It was almost as if she was destined to lose her children. "I'll call the police." Karen said as she stood up quickly. "No!" Everyone yelled in unison.

"Thank you for dinner Karen. I need to go." Joyce said hurried as she walked out the front door. Everyone else followed and hopped into the vehicles. "We need to find her!" Joyce said firmly as she stepped on the gas. Mike had also jumped into his car with Dustin in the passenger seat. Lucas rode with Max and Nancy rode with Jonathan. They all stepped on their gas pedals and began to search for her through the town.

"What are we looking for exactly?" Dustin asked Mike. "A white van or someone carrying her- I don't know." He replied with a panic stricken voice.

Wills eyes searched the sidewalks and alleyways as his mother drove frantically through the town. "I should have never let her go out there on her own." Will's voice cracked. "Rest assured Mike and I are thinking the same thing, hun. We will find her...we have to." Joyce replied sternly.

* * *

Down at the Hawkins community pull a large man carried Eleven bridal style. His clothing which consisted of a white tank top and shorts were ripped and littered in dirt. His complexion deathly thin, pale, and covered in dark black veins. He leaned her against the fence and then turned to the lock on the gate. The pool was closed for the winter which would now serve as a perfect base. Even with his current lack of any muscle, he gripped the lock and ripped it off with nothing but his bare hands. Once the gate was opened, he lifted her back up and carried her to the locker room.

He leaned over her so his mouth was above her ear. "When will you learn... I only come back stronger." He whispered.

Her eyelids fluttered open and once her vision returned to normal, her heart was full of terror. "Billy." She whispered with wide eyes. He laughed, "No...Billy is dead." He replied menacingly.

Eleven's confusion was cut short when he gripped her neck and lifted her up. "This seems familiar..." he smiled. She squirmed in his grip and clenched his wrists. "Only this time...I am not going to kill you." He added. He threw her into the wall of the sauna and slammed the door shut. When she hit the ground she fought to stay conscious as the air returned to her lungs. She stumbled up and slammed her fists against the glass. "No!" She screamed repeatedly.

Billy only continued to smile and watch as she backed up to begin using her powers. Her attention was quickly disrupted when a dark cloud seeped through the air vents. Eleven's eyes widened. "No!" She screamed as the darkness began to spread throughout the sauna.

She turned back to the door and thrust it off the hinges. Immediately, she began to run, only to be tripped right at Billy's feet. The darkness gripped her leg and dragged her back into the sauna where it again surrounded her and took her also.

Eleven gasped awake and found herself back in Hawkins Laboratory. Her wrists were bound to a metal chair as were her ankles to restrain her. "Help!" She screamed.

"No one can help you." A voice replied. Her eyes turned to a sight that confused her the most. She was looking at herself. "Who are you?" Eleven asked firmly. "I thought it would be obvious. I am you or rather you are me now." It replied with a smile.

"The Mindflayer..." Eleven's voice came out in a choked whisper. "If that is what you call me...then yes." It shrugged.

"They closed the gate...how are you still alive?" Eleven questioned. "Well it wasn't the only one..." It replied simply. "I have traveled very far for you, Eleven." The mindflayer added as it stepped closer.

Eleven's heart began to race and tears welled up in her eyes. "Now that I have you...I will be able to destroy everything you love...and it will all be because of you." It explained as it neared her. Eleven shook her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You cannot stop yourself, Eleven." It smiled before turning and dissipating out of sight.

Eleven would now remain trapped until the Mindflayer allowed her to be released.

She was unaware of how much time had passed before she gasped awake and found herself still pressed to the sauna floor. She slowly sat up, feeling an overwhelming nausea and fatigue. With much struggle, she managed she lift herself onto her feet and lean against the wall. Her back ached with pain as she took a step forward and made her way out of the pool area.

As she walked she pressed her palm to her temple which was damp with sweat and blood. What alarmed her most was that she had no idea how she had gotten there, that is until a quiet whisper entered her mind. The voice was so familiar that it caused her to stop in her tracks. "El, I'm here." The whisper echoed. It strangely resembled Hoppers gruff yet sincere voice.

"Hop..." her voice cracked. "I'm here..." The voice echoed again.

"I don't understand..." she replied brokenly The voice was silenced. "I don't understand!" She yelled as tears slipped down her cheeks. Her eyes wandered around with no sign of him. "I don't understand!" Her voice was desperate for an answer that never came.

So she continued to walk until Mike's car came to a stop next to her. Dustin had to reach and put the car in park since Mike had jumped out of it before doing so. Eleven felt Mike's body collide with her'a as he wrapped his arms around her. It took her a moment before she returned the embrace. "I thought I lost you..." his tone was full of distress. "You found me..." Eleven said with relief.

He pulled away and held his hand to her head, "come on, you must be freezing." He said as he opened the car door for her. Eleven stepped inside the car and realized that despite it being cold, she found it comforting. She liked it.

They had reunited with the others at Jonathan and Nancy's. Eleven was immediately showered in hugs by Joyce and Will, who were full of worry and relief at the same time. Eleven was adamant about not remembering anything and wished only to get cleaned up and rested.

Her head rested on Joyce's lap as she cleaned the wound on her head. Mike remained by her side grasping her hand and refusing to leave. Joyce resisted asking her anymore questions for the night and simply gave her a kiss on the forehead before leaving. Eleven buried her head into Mike's chest and tried her best to sleep, which she found difficult due to the questions running through her mind. Why couldn't she remember? And why did she hear her fathers voice?

* * *

Some time in the middle of the night, Eleven stirred in Mike's arms. Sweat beaded above her brow and began to soak her clothes as she tossed and turned uncomfortably. Images of her father and Billy's death appeared in her dream violently as though it was trying to convey a message to her. She wanted to block it out since those experiences were nothing but the nightmare of her reality.

Mike sat up tiredly and shook her gently. "El, it's just a nightmare." He whispered. He ran a hand through her hair and found his hand damp with sweat, "El you're burning up." He added with concern.

Eleven gasped awake and quickly moved away from him. He tried to reach for her but she pushed his hand away. She layed at the edge of the bed as far as she could from him, the sheets were now kicked off of her to give her some cold air as well. Mike layed back down and realized it was probably best to leave her be for the night, so he rolled onto his side and did so.

The next morning, Mike awoke to Eleven still sound asleep at the edge of the bed. Through the night he worried she'd fall off of it with how hard she tried to keep away from him. He swung his legs over the edge and walked out to the living room. He had barely stepped foot in the room before Joyce asked him how El was. "She got hot and had a nightmare but other than that fine." He said unenthusiastically.

Joyce and Will frowned. "Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Will raised a brow. "Actually yes. She didn't want to be near me last night, she said she was too hot." Mike explained as he poured himself some coffee.

"It wasn't too hot. I'll look at the AC." Nancy sighed. "Her emotions must've just gotten her hot." Nancy added.

Mike shrugged. Everyone's eyes turned to El as her exhausted form entered the room. "Hi, hun. How are you feeling?" Joyce asked gently. "Like I haven't woken up yet..." she replied as she rubbed her eye. Mike looped an arm around her and kissed her temple, "maybe this will help." He said as he handed her a cup of coffee. As soon as her hands clasped the hot mug, it slipped out of her hands and hit the floor. She backed up and looked to Mike with alarmed eyes. He gave a small laugh, "don't worry I'll clean it up. How about you go sit down." He said gently. She nodded and joined Will on the couch.

El watched Mike clean up the scattered remains of the cup on the floor. "El?" Wills voice broke through her concentration. She turned to him slowly, "Yes?" She asked. "Mom was talking to you..." Will pointed to Joyce.

Eleven turned to Joyce. "Sorry I...I'm just still a little out of it." She apologized. "It's okay sweetie...I am just worried about you is all." Joyce said softly.

"I'll be fine...I just need more rest." Eleven assured softly. "Well Jonathan and I have to go to work. It's our last day before our holiday vacation." Nancy smiled as she rubbed the back of his neck. He gave an enthusiastic nod and smile.

"I was going to go shopping with Karen for some Christmas endeavors." Joyce added as she stood from her seat. She left to go change while Nancy and Jonathan left for the Hawkins Post. "We can go hangout with Max, Lucas, and Dustin." Will suggested. Mike nodded and turned to Eleven who held no expression. "How about you go shower and then maybe you'll feel up to it." Mike tucked a hair behind her ear and watched her nod in agreement.

Eleven stood and walked to the bathroom while Will and Mike waited for her in the living room. Joyce waved goodbye and stepped out the door to run her errands.

Eleven turned the knob of the shower and felt the hot water soak her skin, only for her to grimace in pain. She quickly turned the knob until the water was the coldest it could possibly go. She pressed her forehead to the shower wall and closed her eyes as her mind wandered aimlessly. When she opened her eyes, she found herself back in the lab. The white walls surrounded her, the tile under her feet, and the sound of Brenner's voice echoing over her.

She turned the shower off quickly and grabbed her towel as an attempt to conceal herself. The voice only got louder as he repeated "again" in a firm tone. The walls began to close in so she curled into a ball at the corner of the tub and cried in her arms.

When she gained the courage to lift her head, she saw dark black veins begin to crawl up her arm. Her eyes widened in horror, "Mike!" She screamed.

Mike heard her screams from the living room and ran quickly to her. When he opened up the bathroom door he found her terrified form at the corner of the tub. Mike swiftly knelt down and pulled her to his chest, "what happened?" He asked worriedly. She revealed her arm only for it to be perfectly fine. "I don't understand." He replied with confusion. She stood with his help and kept her arms firmly around him. "I don't know what's wrong with me." She cried.

Will grasped the back of his neck and felt his heart began to race with that familiar feeling. Something wasn't right and he was sure of it.


	5. Vengeance

**Things are only going to escalate from here i can promise you that! Also if you were hoping for a Brenner comeback sorry he isnt the main villian of this story! Thank you for the review and follows, it really motivates me. Hope you all enjoy! -An Unknown Stranger.**

* * *

After the shower incident, Mike informed Will that he and El would join him and the others later. With much hesitation he agreed and had Lucas pick him up at the house.

Will sat in the passenger seat deep in thought as he tapped his finger on the armrest. "What's wrong man?" Lucas asked gently.

"El has just been acting weird since last night." He replied with distress. "Of course she is, she has no clue what happened to her last night. I'd be acting weird too." Lucas argued.

"I'm just worried about her...and there's nothing I can do about it. Mike always runs to her rescue and then she won't explain to me what happened. It's all vague answers." Will explained with frustration.

"Mike's run to her rescue since day one so that won't change. She will tell you what's up when she's ready. Don't stress about it." Lucas encouraged. Will nodded slowly.

The two picked Dustin up and then met up with Max at the mall. "Where's El and Mike?" Max asked suspiciously. "They will meet up with us later. El's just having a rough morning because of last night." Will explained lightly. She nodded and they began looking through the shops.

Meanwhile, Eleven was curled up on the edge of the bed. Mike sat beside her trying to get her to open up. "Remember what you said El...this trips going to be different." He said gently.

"That was before I was abducted and knew that the lab reopened." She argued. He sighed deeply, "I told you that I will protect you. I'm not leaving your side again." Mike assured.

She fell silent for a moment. "You won't leave my side..." she finally replied.

Mike grasped her hand and twirled the ring on her finger. "I promised. I won't leave unless you ask me too." He smiled. She sat up and ran her hands through her hair. "We are gonna be late for the movie, let's go." He said as he grasped her hand and pulled her up.

They drove to the mall and met up with their friends just before they entered the theater. "It's about time." Dustin teased.

"Yeah yeah let's go." Mike rolled his eyes.

The gang took their seats ready to watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The lights dimmed and Mike looped his arm around Eleven's.

About halfway through the movie, Will touched his hand to the back of his neck. The screen projector stuttered for a moment causing people to groan in annoyance. Will leaned forward and found Eleven sitting contently against Mike, so he leaned back again and relaxed. The movie began to roll again causing some to erupt to cheers.

Sweat began to drip down Eleven's forehead as she felt a overwhelming heat once again. Her heart pounded and the walls around her began to close in around her once again, it was suffocating. She stood up and stepped around Mike to quickly leave the theater. Will followed immediately and told Mike he'd handle it this time. Mike began to stand and still follow only to have Lucas grab his wrists, "Will can handle it." He whispered. Mike slowly sat back down and gave a nod before looking back to the screen.

Will followed and watched as Eleven quickly stepped into the woman's restroom. She was relieved to find it empty so she could have a moment to collect her thoughts. Eleven stood in front of the mirror and splashed some cold water in her face in a attempt to cool off. Her eyes wandered to the mirror and she observe her pale complexion with worry, she looked ill. "El?" Wills voice echoed from the doorway.

She quickly walked into a stall and sat down in a failed attempt to hide. Eleven tucked her knees to her chest and pressed her face into her crossed arms. "It's your fault..." the voice inside her head returned even louder this time. The voice still resembled her fathers. "You're a monster, Eleven..." the voice whispered. When she raised her head, she found herself surrounded by the labs plain white walls. "No..." she shook her head and felt her eyes brim with tears.

The heat continued to rise around her. She quickly pulled off her jacket so she was only in a thin dark blue sweater. She rolled up her jeans slightly only to be met with horror. Black veins spread from the scar on her leg that she had gained from their battle with the Mindflayer four years ago.

"El!" Wills concerned voice came. She quickly rolled her jeans back down to cover the veins. He opened the stall door and frowned when he saw the rawness under her eyes and the sweat dripping down her face. "S-somethings wrong with me..." Eleven sniffled.

He knelt down and placed his hand on her's. "I'm worried about you. I think we should tell mom-"

"What will that do for me?" Eleven replied as she ripped her hand away. -"she's not actually my mom. There's nothing she can do for me." She added firmly.

"El, calm down..." Will urged gently. She stood with him and nudged him aside as she moved past him. "I'm losing my mind..." she said as she paced.

"No...you have just been through a lot. You have a right to be upset." Will assured. She shook her head. "I deserve it...it's my fault he's gone." Will's worry was only increasing with her words.

"You don't look right, El. I'll take you home and-"

"And what? Tell me to sleep it off and then give me a pep talk?" Eleven scowled.

"I'm doing the best I can." Will argued with evident hurt in his eyes. "You aren't doing enough!" The glass in the restroom shattered with Eleven's outburst. They both stepped back with surprise in both their eyes.

"You can't help me." She stated before walking passed him. He followed her only to be pushed back slightly, he took that as a warning shot. By time he stepped back out she was out of sight so he ran to the others who were just stepping out of the theater.

"El left." Will informed as he ran up to them. "What do you mean?" Mike furrowed his brows. "I mean El left. She's not acting right." Will clarified.

"Well we have to find her. She can't be alone..." Mike said as he began to search.

They all search the mall with no sign of her. The search moved outside the mall into the town with still no sign of her.

"She couldn't have gone far...where would she go?" Mike asked Will at he continued to drive. "I don't know...she didn't have many places to go to." Will frowned.

* * *

**Hawkins Lab**

Hopper awoke to his cell door being opened. A man whom he loathed stood at the doorway, his hands clasped behind his white lab coat, and a smirk upon his face.

He had little energy to be able to stand and nail Brenner right in the face. In fact, he never had energy, four years of imprisonment in a Russian prison will do that to you. "Hello, Mr. Hopper." He greeted.

Hopper stayed silent with his face still pressed to his pillow. "I believe you are aware that you are back home in Hawkins. They are entrusting me to get for information out of you about the other side." Brenner explained as he wandered the room.

"I am going to get that information one way or the other. I'd imagine you wouldn't like your failed experiment of a daughter involved now would you?" Brenner asked firmly.

Hopper sat up with his teeth bared in anger. "You touch her and I will kill you." He threatened.

"That is a big threat for someone in your position. You're not even a chief anymore, they made sure to replace you right away." Brenner smiled and stood back at the doorway.

"I'll tell you what you want...just don't involve her..." Hopper begged.

Before Brenner could respond, red lights began to flash and sirens began to blare. Brenner quickly turned away and slammed the cell shut. "Hey! Don't leave me here!" Hopper yelled and slammed on the door. Brenner ignored him and continued to walk away.

"What is going on?" Brenner questioned one of the Russian guards who ran toward him. "A girl! A girl, she-" he was cut off when his body collided with a wall.

Brenner turned his head and found Eleven standing in the hallway. Bodies were scattered around her with pools of blood gathering at her feet. Dark circles were under her cold eyes, her skin was pale and seemingly drenched in sweat. She moved towards him causing him to move back in fear of her. He raised his hands and continued to back away until his back was pressed to the wall. "Eleven...it's nice to see you after all this time." She raised her hand and lifted him so he slid up toward the ceiling.

He kicked and tried to grab the invisible force gripping his neck. "El-" he choked.

"No..." she replied firmly. His fighting seized and she dropped him to the floor. She took a moment to look at his lifeless form before walking away. As she stepped over the body's littering the halls, she felt something release her as though she had not been in control. Her body gave up and she stumbled back into a wall and then slid to the floor. Her eyes focused on a pool of blood soaking her shoe and sock before eventually closing her eyes and giving up.

* * *

"Why would she go to Hawkins Lab? She doesn't have a death wish." Mike argued with Will, who had suggested the location of her whereabouts.

"No, but she has a kill list. You didn't hear her...she was very angry." Will argued. "We are unarmed and entering a highly armed military lab." Mike informed Will with disbelief. Mike checked his rearview mirror to see if Lucas, Max, and Dustin were still following them. "Atleast we have backup." Will replied.

When they arrived at the front gate, Will and Mike shared a worried look when they found the gate guard dead at his post. "Still doubt me?" Will raised a brow.

Mike stepped out to open the gate and then began to drive again toward the lab. They all entered on high alert and were immediately horrified to find every soldier inside either dead or unconscious. "There's no way she could've done this..." Mike shook his head.

"Well why don't we ask her?" Dustin pointed to Eleven's unconscious form leaned against the wall.

Mike knelt down to her side and shook her shoulder gently. "El..." he urged. She stirred and opened her eyes gently; immediately her eyes wandered to the bodies around her before landing on Mike's gentle brown ones. He could see the pure guilt and regret in her eyes. Her lip began to quiver so he pulled her into his chest and kissed the top of her head. "It's okay...it's okay..." he whispered.

"Guys..." Dustin called. "Not now, Dustin." Lucas frowned.

"Doesn't this guy look familiar?" Dustin asked as he continued. Everyone but Mike and Eleven approached him curiously. "Holy shit..." Lucas gaped as he stood over Brenner's lifeless body.

"Brenner...Didn't he die?" Will asked Dustin and Lucas. They nodded with equal confusion.

"Well he's for sure dead now...and these are Russian guards." Max pointed out.

"He was working with them..." Lucas said with anger. "Well I'm pretty sure she killed them all." Dustin replied replied as he observed the scattered bodies. "She's lucky there weren't more, she could have died." Max frowned. Dustin and Lucas nodded in agreement.

Mike took off his jacket and placed it on Eleven before pulling her up and wrapping one of her arms around his neck. "Let's go guys..." Mike said as he began to walk away.

Hopper progressively stopped yelling and slamming his fists against the door when he realized no one was coming and that no one could hear him. He sat back onto the floor and leaned against the bed in defeat.

On the road home, Eleven leaned her head against the window deep in thought. "What made you just decide to leave and go do that?" Mike questioned as he watched the road. His voice was firm yet full of concern. Will sat in the back and listened.

"I don't know..." her voice was a broken whisper. "You...you can't do that kind of thing again-even if they are evil. You are just proving them right, you are proving to them that you can be..." he stopped his sentence.

"A monster." Eleven finished it for him, her eyes still looking out the window. Mike nodded slowly before grasping her hand. "That wasn't you back there...I want my El back." Mike said gently. She turned to him and nodded. "Okay..." she agreed.

He smiled and kissed her hand. Despite the conversation Will had overheard, he still didn't feel right about Eleven.

* * *

Hopper had all but given up his shouting and demand of answers until two guards opened his cell and grabbed him.

Although, Hopper has remained silent down the corridors, his burning questions were somewhat answered when they entered a hallway littered with bodies. He caught sight of Brenner being zipped up in a body bag and smiled. "Who ever did this hates you guys." He laughed.

Hopper was forced into the surveillance room. The commander stood still observing the screens. "Twenty of my soldiers and one of my doctors killed within a couple minutes..." he began.

"Im sure you have more." Hopper stated. The commander turned to him with a scowl. "I barely managed to scrape even those ones into the country after what happened four years ago!" He yelled.

"Maybe you should have planned better or not come back at all." Hopper scowled.

"We did not take into account the length of vengeance, Brenner's little lab rat held. Also not to mention that she hasn't even lived in Hawkins for the past four years according the Dr. Brenner." The commander revealed the footage of Eleven taking out the soldiers.

Hopper gaped with a face full of shock. The Eleven he saw in the footage was not one he recognized. The one he knew did not compulsively kill on her own accord or show such a lust for blood.

The commander approached him. "I can assure you that you will be losing another daughter." He scowled. "Put him back in his cell."

The guards led him back to his cell. One things Hopper knew for certain was that he was not going back in that cell, he had a daughter to save.

Hopper yanked himself lose from their grip and slammed his elbow into one of the guards. When the others turned to him, he punched him into the wall to knock him unconscious. He then hit the other guard again before stealing his gun and running to the exit doors.

He ran without looking back, even the sound of gun firing only pushed him to run faster. Hopper knew that once he made it into the woods he could lose them, he knew Hawkins better than them after all. Even with his weakness, the thought of reuniting with his daughter kept him from giving up. He only decided to stop at his old cabin when he realized how exhausted he was and that he was no longer being followed. Hopper fell into his first peaceful sleep in a long time with the thought of seeing his daughter again.


	6. Peace?

**I am really happy that you guys are enjoying the story so far! If you have an idea of how you want the story to go let me know, I love reading ideas of how to better the story. -An Unknown Stranger**

* * *

Will's suspicion continued onto the passing day of the lab incident, regardless of Eleven saying that she would be alright. Maybe it was his fear of the symptoms she had displayed before that drove him to obsess on her wellbeing, he wasn't certain. What he was certain about was that her act of "everything being okay" was a lie.

They had all agreed not to tell anyone of Eleven's murderous rampage at the lab. Everyone seemed to be moving on from it except Will, who only continued to be more alarmed with each passing minuet.

He observed Eleven as her and Mike sat on the floor leaned against the couch in a blissful conversation. Her hand was gently rubbing the back of his neck as they laughed and latched onto one another. Nothing seemed to be bothering Eleven which was the part worrying Will. How do you go from slauterining people in a lab to being at complete peace the next day.

Will's thoughts were broken by his mothers voice. "I've got some early Christmas presents." She smiled as she stepped into the room baring gifts.

"Christmas isn't for another two days." Jonathan laughed. "As I said, early." Joyce smirked as she sat down.

"Nancy and Jonathan..." she said as she passed them a shared gift. The others watched as Nancy and Jonathan opened up a card containing a check. "Mom...we can't take this." Jonathan argued. "It's not that much, just enough to help you both out a little." Joyce smiled. Jonathan stood and embraced his mother followed by Nancy.

She turned to Will and handed him a small gift box. He opened it revealed new sketch pencils, "How did you know I wanted to start drawing again?" Will questioned. "I had a little help." Joyce said as her and Eleven shared a smile. He also embraced his mother before sitting back down and watching Eleven open her gift up.

In the gift box, was a necklace with a locket attached. Inside the locket held a picture of Hopper smiling in one of his flannels. Eleven turned to Joyce with a watery smile, "I don't know what to say...I love it." She said and embraced Joyce tightly. "Thank you..." she added. "You're welcome sweetie..." Joyce smiled.

Eleven sat down beside Mike and handed him the locket to observe. "I didn't have enough time to pick you up something hun, I'm sorry." Joyce informed Mike.

"You've done enough for me, Joyce. Don't worry about it." He replied sincerely to Joyce.

Joyce stood and observed her family with a proud smile before walking into the kitchen. Will began conversing with his brother and Nancy while El and Mike were in their usual love state.

Eleven has an arm draped around Mike's neck while her legs were across his lap on the couch. "You better not have gotten me anything. This is enough." She said as she revealed her promise ring. Mike gave a cheeky grin, "I guess you'll have to wait and see." He said before planting a small kiss on her lips.

"Do you guys have plans today?" Jonathan asked Will, Mike, and El. "I was actually going to go visit my dad..." Eleven informed everyone.

They all looked to her with slight surprise. She hadn't been to Hopper's gravestone since his funeral. "Do you want us to go with you...?" Joyce asked gently.

Eleven shook her head. "I tried to forget about him for four years...I think I need to talk to him alone." She explained with regret. Joyce nodded with a sad smile.

"I'll drive you there..." Mike said as he rubbed her back comfortingly. She gave a small nod before standing. Will also went along with wait in the car with Mike so they could continue on to Lucas, Max, and Dustin afterwards.

Mike's car came to a stop at the graveyard. "We will wait here..." He informed Eleven softly. "Thank you..." she gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving the car.

Eleven walked over a small hill covered in snow and came to a stop in front of the gravestone marked with her fathers name. At the sight of his name etched in stone, tears immediately filled her eyes. "Hey dad...I'm really sorry it's taken me this long to come talk to you." She began to speak with a voice laced in emotion. "I guess I was mad that you left me so soon. I was really looking...forward to having a real papa." Her voice hiccuped with tears. She went to her knees and brushed the snow off his grave, "if you were here, I think you'd be disappointed in me. I haven't been who you hoped I'd be..." she sniffled. "Mike, Will, Joyce, and my friends are going to help me be that good person that you believed I could be though..." she said firmly.

Eleven went silent for a moment before continuing. "I haven't really been leaving the door open three inches..." she gave a dry laugh before wiping away another tear. She reached into her pocket and pulled out an eggo before placing it onto the snow. "I love you, dad...I'm sorry I couldn't find you..." she sniffled as she stood and wiped her tears.

Eleven gave one last look at her fathers grave before turning and walking back toward the car.

Will leaned forward to gain Mike's attention. "So we really aren't going to talk about it?" He raised a brow. "About what?" Mike questioned.

"She killed Brenner and like twenty Russian soldiers just yesterday and you've all been acting disturbingly calm about it, including her." Will argued.

"Do you blame her for being upset? You saw her when she heard the lab was reopened." Mike countered with a harsh tone.

"El went and killed them, Mike. She killed Brenner also." Will continued to fight. "Well I'm happy she did, those bastards deserved to die. Plus it's not like she hasn't killed people before." Mike pointed out as he concluded their disagreement.

Will leaned back and shook his head. "Sometimes I think I know her better than you do." He sighed. Before Mike could reply, Eleven opened the door and stepped inside.

Eleven could practically feel the tension between Mike and Will. She looked them back and forth, "everything alright?" She questioned.

Mike placed a hand behind her back before leaning to kiss her cheek. "Yup, everything's great." He smiled. Mike turned back to the wheel and started the car. Will rolled his eyes.

* * *

Hopper awoke in his cabin with a start. He sat up with a groan as he rubbed the back of his aching neck. As he stood, it was finally connected in his mind that he was back home and not locked away in a cell. He was free for the first time in four years. His first thought of course was the thought of seeing his daughter, Joyce, and even the Mike and the kids who many times fell onto his nerve, but he couldn't ignore what he had craved in those years.

Hopper quickly walked to the fridge and thrust the door open. He almost sighed in relief seeing his beer still on the shelf and took no time to reach in and grab it. The seal was snapped open and it was brought to his lips only to give an unsatisfactory, grotesque flavor. He spat out the beer and checked the expiration date and noticed it had gone bad years ago. With annoyance, he placed the beer down and leaned against the counter. The beer might of gone bad his love of the cabin and the memories it held remained as good and lasting as ever. Realizing he had wasted enough time already, he quickly changed into his old clothes that had luckily been left before leaving to reunited with his daughter.

* * *

The party all met up at their usual spot, Mike's basement. Lucas, Dustin, and Max had already let themselves in by time Mike, El, and Will arrived.

The three were sitting on his couch watching some Christmas film. "Hey, guys." Dustin greeted as Lucas and Max gave a wave.

"Hey..." Will replied as he joined them. Max jumped up from the couch and ran to Eleven to observe her new necklace. "You've gotten more jewelry in the past week than I get in a year." Max joked. "You don't even wear jewelry." Eleven laughed. "Doesn't mean I don't want some." Max shrugged as she observe the locket.

"I got you a bracelet!" Lucas argued. "Oh yeah..." Max recalled as she kept her eyes on the necklace. Lucas rolled his eyes and turned back to Mike.

"That's the perfect picture of Hopper." Max smiled. Eleven nodded in agreement as she looked to the photo again. "I finally went and saw him, it felt nice." Eleven sat as she walked toward the boys. Max followed her and listened intently. "I think I'm finally coming to peace with it." Eleven gave a sigh of relief. Mike pulled her to his side and kissed her temple. "That's what he would have wanted I think." Max assured with a sincere smile. They all nodded in agreement.

"So, we aren't just watching another movie right?" Will asked the group. "I thought we could go to the mall or something." He suggested.

"Sounds good to me." Lucas replied as the others nodded. They all loaded up into their designated cars and drove off to the mall which seemed to be their only source of entertainment.

* * *

Hopper found himself having to walk to Joyce's house with no way of paying for a bus or finding a car. Once he finally arrived, he firmly knocked on the front door and waited. His heart began to pound with anticipation as realized how close he was to seeing his daughter and Joyce again. That excitement was quickly extinguished when an old woman answered the front door. "Can I help you?" She asked curiously as she opened the door slightly.

"I'm looking for Joyce Byers. She lives here." Hopper answered firmly. "The last owner moved away four years ago, I'm sorry." The old woman answered.

Hopper stepped back with defeat etched on his face. "Do you know where she moved?" He asked desperately.

"I'm sorry I do not. Goodbye now." The woman answered before closing the door.

Hopper ran his hands through his hair. "Damnit Joyce..." he sighed. His following thought was of the Wheelers, they would know. He set off back toward the town, this time trying to wave down a kind driver to give him a lift.

After walking on his own for a couple miles, one car came to a stop beside him. Hopper approached the car window as the man was rolling it down. "Need a lift?" He smiled. "Yes, thank you." He sighed as he stepped into the passenger side.

"Where to?" The man asked as he began to drive. "Just drop me off at Elmand and Cherry street, I can find my way from there." Hopper informed. The driver nodded and continued driving.

After driving for a lengthy amount of time, Hopper began to grow suspicious. "I think you passed Elmand Cherry." He accused.

"I don't believe so." The man replied curtly. Hopper's eyes widened at the realization that his driver was most likely an agent of the Lab. He turned to the door and tried to unlock it to no avail, each time he pushed the lock up it would go right down.

"Son of a bitch!" Hopper yelled before turning to the agent. He watched as the man pulled out a small canister, which was most likely holding a drug to make him fall unconscious. Before the man could spray the contents, Hopper slammed the man's head into the window causing him to swerve. Hopper then quickly grabbed the wheel only to be punched in the face by the agent.

Hopper quickly recovered and slammed the agents face back into the wheel. The car swerved violently as the now unconscious man leaned against the door. Before Hopper could grip the wheel, the car made contact with a tree which caused his head to make contact with the dash.

* * *

During, the duration of their time at the mall, Will spent nearly the whole time watching El from the back of the group. He could not share the uncomfortable thought of her acting completely normal despite her recent incidents.

Everyone but Mike seemed to ignore Will's inquisitive nature, he was especially annoyed with it after their recent talk at the cemetery.

Mike was under the impression that Eleven was simply going through a rough couple days and simply needed closure. Which she received according to herself.

Will suspected that Mike was the one to make Eleven also grow irritated by his overly concerned behavior since she stated she would be staying with Mike for the night. Will hated the idea of having her stay at Mike's since he couldn't watch her but realized that if he argued she would perhaps have another episode.

Will left the mall with Lucas, Max, and Dustin since Mike and El parted ways with them separately. He decided to keep quiet to the others about his worries since he was already the conspiracists in Mike and El's eyes.

The sun had gone down as Mike and Eleven got dressed for bed. "I told him that I'm okay but he won't believe me!" Eleven exclaimed from the bathroom.

"I've told him too but he seems to think something big is happening." Mike replied as he layed on the bed.

Eleven spit her toothpaste into the sink and wiped her mouth with a nearby towel. "I just hope he isn't like this the rest of the trip. I know what I did was wrong and I don't need him reminding me everyday." Eleven sighed as she walked out of the bathroom.

She fell into Mike's arms and felt him wrap her close to his chest. "He has painful memories with Hawkins as well...I think he is just remembering them and that is why he is worrying too much." Mike explained gently.

Eleven turned her body around and hovered her face close to his. "I'm just happy you believe me..." she whispered before kissing him gently.

"Always..." he smiled back. He returned the kiss with longer duration. Their kiss began to deepen as she moved to sit on top of him, his arms around her waist as he sat up. Her arms wrapped around his neck and only moved upward when he began to pull her shirt up to toss it away. Without breaking any heat between them they continued to take off the layers they had just recently dressed into. Mike twisted around so he could be over her and begin a trail of gentle kisses from her neck back to her lips. "Have I mentioned that I love you." He breathed. "A couple times, yes." Eleven smiled as she tangled her fingers in his hair. For a moment, the two seemed to forget any troubles they endured and were lost in one another's bliss.

But life had a way of giving them good moments before ripping them right away. Once their duration of love and passion came to an end and they fell asleep in each other's arms, the dark force came again to rip away their happiness.

A heat again began to rise around Eleven causing her to fall into discomfort and a state of hollowness. She gently pulled Mike's arm away from her and sat up as she swung her legs over the bed. Eleven stood and changed into a thin sweater and jeans before slipping into her shoes and walking out the basement door. She slowly shut the door as not to disturb him before walking into the snow and deeper into the darkness of the night.

* * *

Hopper awoke with a gasp as he quickly observed his surroundings. The man next to him was still unconscious to his relief and satisfaction. Hopper could see his cold breath as he shivered at the cold nights air. He opened the door and crossed his arms as an attempt to stay warm, then with squinted eyes he scowled at the realization that he was almost back where he started. That agent had indeed intended to take him back to the lab.

Hopper walked around the car and pulled the agent out of the drivers seat. He then propped the man against a tree before stepping back into the car. Hopper heard a clicking sound as he attempted to start the engine. After a couple tries the car started and he nearly yelled with joy and relief. He backed the car away from the tree and back onto the main road. His first stop would be the Wheelers.


	7. Eleven's Gone

**So just to clarify, italics will be used when Eleven trapped in her mind by the Mindflayer and hopefully it will be pretty clear when the Mindflayer has control of her. Also when I say "it" i mean the Mindflayer. Alright that is all! again reviews appreciated :) -An Unknown Stranger.**

* * *

Mike awoke abruptly as his shoulder was shook roughly and the lights turning on around him. "Mike, wake up." Will said firmly as he stood over him.

He squinted as the sudden brightness in his room and placed a pillow over his face to block it out. "What time is it?" He mumbled tiredly.

"It's three a.m." Lucas' voice replied with drowsiness as well. Mike groaned in response.

"Where's El?" Will asked firmly. Mike tossed his arm over to where he believed her sleeping form would be. He brought his head up with surprise evident on his face when she was not at his side.

Mike sat up and observed the room only to find Lucas and Will standing in it. Before anyone could say anything, a knock came from the door. Lucas ran over to open it and found Max embracing her jacket in an effort to stay warm. "This better be good." She scowled as she stepped inside.

"Do you even watch her? How did she manage to disappear again?!" Will yelled at Mike.

"El's gone?" Max questioned as she approached Lucas and Will. Dustin ran down the basement stairs, "she isn't up there." He informed them. "I knew something was wrong." Will shook his head.

"I can't watch her in my sleep, Will. She told me everything was fine so I trusted her unlike you." Mike argued before turning to Max. He twirled his index finger around signaling for her to turn around so he could change. She rolled her eyes before turning the other direction as he got out of bed. "It's funny how you will trust her without hesitation but not me, your best friend." Will replied angrily.

Mike pulled up a pair of pants over his boxers and shook his head. "Because what you were saying didn't make sense Will!" He yelled as he put a shirt on.

"I keep feeling it again...how do you think I knew she disappeared tonight. Every time she has, I've felt what I feel with the Mindflayer." Will explained with concern.

Mike approached Will with stern eyes. "I know El...that thing doesn't have her. I think you clearly have issues you haven't worked out and being back here is just bringing it back." He explained.

Will shook his head and turned to the others who didn't seem to want to cut in. "Then where is she Mike? Since you seem to know her so well...where is she?" Will asked skeptically.

Mike took a step back and avoided eye contact with everyone. "I'll find her." He said before grabbing his jacket. He froze just as he grasped it causing everyone to stare at him with confusion.

"Something else wrong?" Max raised a brow. They watched as he picked up Eleven's jacket and turned to them. "There's basically a snow storm outside and she's not wearing a jacket?" Dustin questioned.

"Maybe because it likes it cold." Will scowled at Mike. Mike tucked her jacket under his arm before leaving the house. "Well I don't trust him to find her alone." Will informed Lucas, Dustin and Max. "I'll drive you." Max informed him as she walked to the door. Dustin followed Lucas as they also left to go help find her.

* * *

Eleven trudged through the snow as she made her way to her destination. As she walked she noticed a set of headlights approaching her quickly.

Hopper wiped his windshield in an effort to see through the light blizzard. He leaned forward and squinted, "where the hell am I?" He mumbled. Despite living in the town for almost his entire life, he had forgotten how easy is was to get lost in it through a storm and darkness.

Eleven stopped when she realized the car was only getting closer and not appearing to slow down. With little care, she raised her arm and flicked her wrist. The car suddenly flipped off of the road, clearing a path for her on the road.

Hopper saw the world spin around him as his car continued to flip and not come to a stop until it hit a bed of snow on the side of the road. His head fell onto the steering wheel and his vision blurred and continued to spin. He could feel a warm liquid drip down his throbbing head as he tried to connect the dots of what had just occurred. It didn't take him long to realize it would be best to wait out the storm and rest in the car since he would most likely have to make the rest of his journey on foot.

* * *

Eleven arrived at the currently closed down community pool and found Billy waiting not so patiently in the corner. "It's about time." He sighed.

"I had to convince them so they wouldn't interrupt our plans." Eleven replied firmly.

Billy stood and approached Eleven. "Being dead has its perks. I don't have to worry about that little brat anymore." He laughed.

Eleven ignored his comment. "We aren't strong enough to take this town again...not until a gate is here." She explained.

"Well it's a good thing we have her." Billy smirked as he stepped away. Eleven outstretched her arm toward the wall and focused on creating another gate.

A crack opened up and as it grew larger, black vines began to emerge from it. Just as the black vines spread, black veins began to crawl from Eleven's leg and spread up to her neck. Her eyes narrowed with determination and then hardened with hatred once she was finished. She stumbled to the ground, her chest heaving and blood dripping down her nose. "I want to take her friends...just as she took my power." She breathed heavily.

Billy knelt down to her and gripped her shoulder, "They will come to us...and there's nothing she can do to stop it. After all...she cannot stop herself." He grinned deviously.

_Eleven found herself back in the lab now surrounded by darkness. A single light flickered above her as she stood in a small cell. She ran to the door and tried to pull the steal door open to no avail, then she tried to use her powers. Eleven outstretched her hand expecting the door to blow off the hinges but nothing of the sort happened. She was completely powerless and unable to free herself of her current imprisonment. _

_"__Help!" She screamed as she slammed her fist on the door. Her fists continued to slam against the door and her voice continued to cry for help until it grew raw. _

_"__I told you, that I am in control now." An eerie voice echoed from the others side of the door. "Who are you?!" Eleven yelled in response._

_Her question was answered when she saw herself on the other side of the door. Eleven stepped back with a look of horror and confusion on her face. The person before her resembled her but looked incredibly ill. "Don't you remember..." it asked._

_Eleven looked to the floor and focused as she tried to recall any forgotten memory. Her eyes raised and looked back to her captor as the memories came flooding back to her. She shook her head and felt tears begin to slide down her cheeks, "No...you can't. You can't hurt them!" Eleven screamed._

_"__It is you that will be, remember that. This is your fault." The Mindflayer replied firmly before walking away. _

_Eleven slammed her body into the door repeatedly. "Don't hurt them!" She screamed and fought with every ounce of strength she had. When she realized that she would stay imprisoned in her own mind for the time being, she composed herself and began to ponder a way out._

* * *

Meanwhile, after finding no sign of Eleven, Mike and the others decided to return to his house. Once they all returned to Mike's basement, he slammed the door behind them.

Everyone watched as he paced with his hands in his hair. "Relax Mike-" Max began.

"Don't tell me to relax!" He yelled as he continued to pace. "My girlfriend is out there freezing to death and I can't find her!" He added.

"She's not freezing to death because-" Will was cut off when Mike suddenly approached him quickly. He grasped Will's jacket collar before slamming him into the stair post. "Don't say it!" Mike shook with anger and emotion. Dustin and Lucas quickly grasped Mike and pulled him off of Will.

Mike yanked himself away from them and sat back on his bed, taking deep breaths. "You know I'm right and the sooner you get a grip the sooner we can stop it." Will continued to argue as he adjusted his jacket.

Mike kept his face in his hands. "If we find her, we can get her out of it just like-" Will was interrupted by Mike. "Billy. She has to die if we want that thing to die. If we take it out of her like we did with you then it will just come back." Mike explained with frustration.

"It came back even with Billy dying." Lucas pointed out. "Because there must've been another gate. If there wasn't another gate...it would have died." Mike explained firmly as he looked to Lucas.

They all became silent. "Then we need to find every gate." Will informed them.

"How will we do that? They could be anywhere and how do we know how many there are?" Max asked the group. "Eleven." Mike stated as he stood back up. They all looked to him with confusion. "She is the only one capable of finding gates. If she is...connected to the Mindflayer...then it can show her if she is in control." Mike's voice continued to shake as he spoke.

"Great...so how do we find her and make sure she's the one in control?" Dustin asked gently. They all went silent again for a moment.

"The sauna..." Max spoke up. The boys still held confused looks. She sighed, "when we trapped Billy in the sauna, he came back for a minuet. He gave us answers." Max explained.

Will nodded slowly. "So we trap El in the sauna and crank up the heat." He clarified.

"Okay, how do we get a telekinetic all powerful person into a small space like that?" Lucas raised a brow.

"I can do it...I just need you all to trust me." Mike eyes landed on Will, who hesitantly gave a nod.

"We will need more help..." Will informed the group. They all nodded in agreement except for Mike. "We can do this without Nancy and Jonathan." He argued.

"We don't have Eleven's help this time Mike...Nancy and Jonathan really helped us out last time." Will explained gently.

Mike pondered before giving a nod. "Fine...but I want to make this clear. I know Eleven...I know her limits and her strengths. If I say to stop; we stop, and if I say to run...we run." Mike said firmly. They all nodded.

They all went back to their cars and made their way to Jonathan and Nancy's.

* * *

Hopper awoke with a throbbing head and a mind full of confusion. He had no clue why his car flipped off the road but quickly brushed it off as a snowy accident. He tried to start the engine only for it to make a repeated clicking noise. With a large sigh, he began his walk to the Wheelers once again until he waved down another car which thankfully held a kind woman with no ill intentions.

Hopper arrived at the Wheelers not long later and thanked the driver before walking up to the front door. He gave a deep breath before giving three firm knocks. To his relief, Karen answered the door and held a look of absolute disbelief. "J-Jim?" She stuttered. "Hi Karen...is Mike home?" He asked gently. Karen took several moments to respond due to the state of shock she was in.

"Um...no he just left. Would you like to come in?" She questioned with concern as she stepped to the side and held the door open.

"I am really just trying to find my daughter." He insisted. "I don't know where they went. You're bleeding, I'd really like for you to come in so I can help you." Karen explained urgently.

Hopper thought for a moment before giving in, he was starving and could use some care. He followed Karen inside and took a seat on the couch as she got some bandages. "I almost didn't recognize you...you're so..."

"Thin..." Hopper smirked. Karen gave a shy smile before nodding. "I wasn't in the most caring hands. I'm happy to be in them now." He smiled.

Karen smiled and took a seat in front of him. She began to apply an ointment on his head before bandaging it. "Joyce hasn't been the same, neither has El. They both missed you very much. Even Mike did, despite how much you two used to bicker." Karen gave a dry laugh.

"I'm just very eager to see them all again. The thought of seeing my daughter again has helped me survive..." Hopper explained gently.

Karen finished caring for his wound and got up to get him food. "And how or rather what was it you survived...?" She asked carefully. "They told us you died in a fire...but here you are four years later." Karen added.

"Of course they did..." he mumbled. "It's a really long story and I think I should go find El now-"

"I'm sorry that I pushed. They should all be back soon, just eat something first." Karen said as she placed a sandwich in front of him. He reluctantly nodded and began to eat.

Meanwhile, the Mindflayer was determined to keep spreading once again, with nothing in the way to stop it.


	8. Sauna Test

**Finally an intense chapter! Hope this one gets you all a little emotional, its a sad one for sure. Only gonna get crazier from here! -An Unknown Stranger. **

* * *

Will pounded on his brothers apartment door repeatedly as his friends waited by his side. "You don't have a key?" Lucas questioned.

"We only visit like three times a year." Will shrugged as he turned back to the door. The door opened revealing a tired and confused Jonathan. They pushed passed him into the living room, "Where's my sister?" Mike asked him quickly.

"Asleep, what time is it?" Jonathan asked as he looked for a clock. "It's around six-thirty." Will informed his brother.

"Well is something wrong?" Jonathan asked curiously. "We need Nancy too and will explain while we look for her." Mike said firmly.

"Look for who-" Jonathan stopped when he noticed that Eleven was nowhere is sight. "Where's El?" He asked worriedly.

"We don't know, we think-"

"You think." Mike corrected Will quickly. Will glared before continuing, "I think that the Mindflayer has her. She's been acting weird and now we can't find her-"

"You're just telling me this now? She's my sister too Will." Jonathan shook his head. "I wasn't sure, everyone told me to stop worrying, including her." Will argued.

"Can we please just wake up Nancy and go find her. We have wasted a lot of time." Mike urged as he stayed by the door. Jonathan left to wake Nancy up and get changed.

"So what's the plan?" Max asked the group. They all froze and looked to one another.

"So, let's say El is possessed by the Mindflayer. It will want to kill us and will have El's powers. How do we get her into the sauna without hurting her?" Max asked worriedly.

They all looked to Mike. "I will talk to her-"

"It won't be El, that won't work." Will said firmly.

"It has to, we aren't hurting her." Mike stated sternly. "What If she hurts us?" Dustin asked gently.

"She won't...she's strong and can fight it." Mike tried to stay hopeful but was not winning the others over. They were still very concerned.

"I caught Nancy up a little. Let's go before my mom wakes up." Jonathan said as he walked to the door. Mike locked eyes with Nancy and could see the absolute devastation in them. He quickly looked away so he wouldn't cry.

They followed one another in their cars in search for Eleven. They were relieved that it was the weekend and people were not yet out for the morning.

"She could be anywhere...what if she went back to lab or the woods?" Nancy asked Mike. He shook his head, "Eleven is connected to those places...the Mindflayer would choose somewhere that means something to it." Mike argued.

"The pool..." Will mumbled. Mike turned to him, "what?" He asked.

"The pool...last time it got its ass kicked there by El." Will informed.

"So why would it go back there if that's where we almost killed it before?" Nancy questioned.

"Right now it's closed and probably freezing in there. It feels safe there now because we wouldn't expect it to go back." Will explained.

"That seems too easy, the sauna is there." Jonathan added.

Mike slouched in defeat. "Does the town shut off the electricity to the pool during the winter?" He asked.

They all fell silent. "Maybe not...we need to stay positive. If it is then we can find another way." Nancy encouraged. They nodded in agreement.

When they arrived at the community pool they found it seemingly vacant as expected. Everyone got out of their cars and walked to the gate.

Jonathan grasped the broken lock on the gate and scowled. Before anyone could walk inside, Mike stepped forward, "Let me talk to her alone." He said quietly.

"It's not El, Mike. It will kill you." Will argued firmly.

"I have to try...if I need backup I'll yell." He replied softly. They all seemed worriedly by his plan but knew it could also work.

"Do not hesitate, Mike." Nancy said sternly. He nodded before walking inside.

"El..." he repeatedly called her name as he walked throughout the locker room. He came to a stop when he noticed a small gate on the side of the locker room wall. "Oh shit..." he whispered.

His attention quickly turned at the sound of Eleven's fragile voice. "Mike?"

"El..." Mike gave her a sincere smile but a time full of distress. Despite, the dark atmosphere of the locker room, he could see the paleness of her skin and fatigue in her eyes. He wanted more than anything for Will to be wrong, but knew after locking eyes with her that he wasn't.

"Did you come to save me?" She asked as she continued to walk toward him. "Yes, I did baby. I'm going to take you home." He began to walk quickly to her with open arms but was immediately stopped. He felt himself yanked backwards and slammed into the cement wall.

He felt the air leave his lungs as he fell to the ground and fought to stay conscious. Eleven's laugh rang in his ears as he struggled to stand, in that moment he knew it wasn't really her, she would never hurt him.

"Eleven's gone, it's only me now." She said maliciously.

"I know you're in there, El. You are the strongest person I know...if anyone can fight this, you can." Mike said as he shakily stood. As he stood, he could feel a force tightening around his throat and lifting him upward. His feet lifted from the ground and dragged him up the wall, Eleven approached him with an arm raised.

"You are just as stupid as I thought. You came alone and actually thought you could save her. She is gone." Mike felt tears fall down his cheeks as he struggled to breathe.

"El!" Will yelled. The others stood at the doorway with him with faces filled with horror. She turned to him with eyes full of hatred as she kept Mike pinned to the wall.

"The one that got away..." she smirked. Will stepped forward at her statement, "You can't have her...just like you couldn't have me. Now let Mike go!" He tried to mask his fear with confidence as much as he could but his hands continued to tremble.

Eleven released Mike causing him to hit the floor and gasp for air. Nancy ran to his side while she was distracted and pulled him away. "You're still that scared boy I met in the upside down. You'll always be that." She approached Will with amusement in her eyes.

Will stepped back slightly. "El...you have to fight it. You're stronger than it that's why it feared you...that's why it wanted to take you down." His voice cracked with tears as he begged for Eleven's resistance.

"If she was so strong, why am I here? She's weak...and will forever just be that number in a lab." She scowled.

Will shook his head. "She's more than that...and she has friends to help her be strong." He stated firmly. She lifted her hand causing Will and the others to become frightened.

Before anything could occur, Mike suddenly rammed into her side. He picked her up and threw her into the sauna without a moments hesitation. Her head hit the wall, dazing her just enough for Mike to slip out and lock the door with a couple bars. He began to turn the heat up until the dial was the highest it could go. He was relieved to see that power was still on.

"That's not going to hold her." Max stated worriedly. "It'll have to..." Mike sighed. Everyone stood in front of the door and waited. Mike observed her through the window as she slowly sat up and held the back of her head.

"Mike..." Eleven voice called out weakly. He stumbled forward and placed a hand on the window. "I'm here, El." His voice cracked with tears.

He could see a struggle in her eyes which only made him more emotional. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to do it." She sobbed and wrapped her arms around herself. "I know...I know, it wasn't your fault." He replied brokenly.

"It wasn't my fault...please help me, Mike." She continued to choke and beg. It took every ounce of strength Mike had to not open the door and hold her.

He looked to the others and saw Nancy urge him to ask questions. "Where are the gates, El? Where are they?" He asked urgently. Everyone stepped forward and listened to her with sorrow in their eyes. Mike could see her internal struggle as she fought to answer him. "Please let me out, Mike...I don't want to be locked away." She continued to sob. Mike understood her claustrophobia, do to the labs treatment of her; it only made the whole situation harder for him. Her head rested against the bench and sweat began to drench her clothing and skin. "Just tell me where the gates are...and I'll let you out." Mike struggled to form his words.

"Russia...and here..." she forced out. Mike turned to the others, all of their faces held both relief and distraught. The question that rang through all their minds is how they would get to Russia.

"Okay...let me out Mike." Her voice made his chest clench, he knew he couldn't let her out. She stumbled as she stood and walked to the door.

They watched as she leaned her head against the door tiredly before locking eyes with Will. "Will...please...let me out." She begged.

Will felt tears roll down his cheeks and felt everyone's eyes on him. "I can't El..." he sniffled.

Everyone eyes turned back to El when her fist collided firmly with the door. "Let me out, Mike!" She yelled angrily.

Nancy pulled Mike back and gripped his arm firmly. Will pressed a hand to the back of his neck and frowned as he watched her. Mike's former sincerity had turned back to anger when he realized the Mindflayer had taken control again. Black veins covered her body and her eyes were now a darker shade. "You can't keep me in here..." she laughed as she looked to them through the small glass window.

"I know..." Mike replied quietly. They stepped away quickly when the door flew off the hinges.

She slowly walked forward with rage in her eyes. "That was your plan? Get information just to die?" Her voice was amused but also clearly frustrated. Mike stepped forward, "You clearly don't know how to use her powers or else you would have seen this coming." He scowled.

Jonathan stepped forward from behind her and quickly shoved a needle into her neck. She stumbled back and saw the figures in front of her begin to blur and felt her stance become unbalanced. Her hands clasped the syringe on her neck and pulled it out before collapsing to the ground.

Mike and the others ran to her side. He placed her head in his lap and held the back of her head only to pull away. His hands shook as he observed the blood on one of them, "She's hurt...I hurt her." Mike voice trembled. Max placed a hand on his shoulder, "She would have done worse to us Mike...she'll heal." Max assured him. He was still upset but decided to ignore it for the time being.

"It's still in her...what do we do now, we can't hold her anywhere?" Jonathan asked.

"Only one place was able to hold her. We keep her there while we figure out how to close the gates." Mike explained.

"How do we do that without her?" Will asked. "We need to get it out of her before we close the gates. If she's not strong enough I'm sure we can do it again without her." Mike replied firmly as he picked Eleven up.

They all went back to their cars and began driving. Mike had Eleven's head rested on his lap as he held a bandage to her side. "Where are we taking her?" Nancy asked with confusion.

"The lab." He informed her. Will, Nancy, and Jonathan shared worried looks. "Mike...the lab reopened remember? If we take her there, they will never give her back." Will explained.

Mike lowered his head. "Why the hell didn't I think of that..."He replied with defeat.

"We will take her back to Mom and Dads and figure it out. As long as she stays unconscious we still be fine." Nancy explained to Mike.

"How long do you think she will be unconscious?" Will asked Nancy. Nancy and Jonathan both looked to one another with uncertainty. "Hopefully long enough." Nancy sighed.

* * *

Back at the Wheelers, Hopper awoke with a start. He didn't remember falling asleep on their couch but assumed it was from exhaustion. "Hey, you're up." Ted greeted him from the lazy- boy.

Hopper grunted as he sat up. "I'm just waiting for my daughter..." he yawned.

"Well she's probably staying at Jonathan and Nancy's place. The Byers are staying there for the duration of their trip." He explained calmly.

"She's living with the Byers?" Hopper questioned, his voice held relief as well. "Of course, you didn't think she'd be staying with us did you?" He chuckled.

"Of course not..." he mumbled.

"I have to admit my son and your daughter have gotten very close over the past four years." Ted sighed.

Hopper gave a small smile. "You have a good kid." He admitted. "So do you Hop, El has really become the woman you raised her to be." Karen said as she stepped into the living room.

Before he could reply, they heard a door slam. "That must be the kids using basement door." Karen informed him.

Hopper stood to his feet quickly. His heart pounded with the thought of seeing his daughter again. "She is going to be very surprised and very happy." Karen smiled.

He walked over to the door leading to the basement and quickly made his way down the stairs. Everyone froze once his feet hit the bottom step, with not a single unsurprised face. Hopper scanned the room until he locked eyes on Eleven, who was currently sitting unconscious in a chair and in the process of being tied up. Everyone watched silently as he walked passed them to get to Eleven's side.

"You're alive..." Mike gaped. Hopper placed a hand the side of Eleven's head, "What happened?" He asked shakily.


	9. Reunited

**Some of ya'll bout to be real mad at me lol. Nobody is safe in this story especially this chapter, oops! Things are a bit intense and will only get worse from here. Sorry not sorry! enjoy! -An Unknown Stranger.**

* * *

From the moment Hopper had walked down the basement steps no one had been able to say a word. Absolute shock was plastered on all of their faces as they could do nothing but watch him stress over El.

Mike only spoke up when Hopper turned to him, demanding information. "What...happened?" Hopper asked firmly as he locked eyes with Mike.

"Th-the Mindflayer...it got her." He choked out. Hopper's face went from stress to devastation as he looked back to El. "I'm sorry Hop...I-I promised that I'd take care of her and-" he was cut off when Hopper wrapped his arms around him.

"It's not your fault...she's alive and in our hands. We can fix this." He sighed. Mike was again at a loss of words. Hopper stepped back and observed Mike before turning to the others. "Four years..." he sighed.

He knelt back down to Eleven's level and held her hand. "I need you to tell me what happened exactly." He said to the others. Will and Mike did most of the explaining while the others listened and chimed in here and there.

"Why isn't she blind folded?" Hopper asked firmly.

"Should she be?" Nancy raised a brow. "If you are confident tying her wrists will stop her powers then don't worry about." He replied sarcastically.

Mike quickly grabbed a shirt and tied it around her eyes. They all observed as Hopper turned the tv on so static could play in the background. "Why is this necessary?" Mike questioned.

"It will disrupt her powers. She will either be forced into the void or not be able to focus her abilities." He explained.

"How do you know this?" Will asked gently. "She told me just in case something like this ever happened." He replied sadly.

"That was completely different from what she told me." Mike frowned before standing. "I'm really happy you're back..." He gave Hopper a sincere smile.

Hopper placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a small smile. He then turned back to Eleven and frowned. "What did she tell you?" He furrowed his brows with concern still etched on his face.

"I think you already know. I'm assuming she told you something different because she knew you wouldn't do it. Truth is neither would I...I just agreed so she would drop it. You know how she gets." He gave a small laugh as Hopper nodded.

"It's not going to come to that." Hopper assured him. "Well I'm still around and I'm sure as hell not letting anything happen to her." Will informed as he stepped forward.

"I mean it's your civic duty to protect your sister so..." Hopper smirked. Will furrowed his brows. "You didn't think I'd not have a backup for her in case something happened to me did you?" Hopper questioned. He embraced Will as well as Jonathan, "Thank you both for taking care of her..." he said sincerely.

"To be honest she took more care of us even when she didn't have her powers." Jonathan gave a short laugh. "She didn't have her powers?" Hopper asked with confusion.

"Yeah...I guess you've missed some things the past four years." Will replied gently.

Before they could recap him, Eleven awoke and immediately quieted the room. "Where am I?" She pulled at her restraints and continued to question. Although they couldn't see her eyes, they could see her anger and frustration very clear.

Hopper stepped forward. "El..." his voice was stern yet also filled with brokenness.

Her moving seized and she fell silent. They could see her internal conflicts at the intense rise and fall of her chest and the twitching of her fingers.

"Eleven...it's me. Hop." He kneeled down and grasped her hand.

Her lip quivered at the sound of his voice. "You're dead...it's not real." Her voice was a broken whisper.

Hopper looked to Mike who anxiously stood by listening along with the others. Will and Jonathan stood by one another with looks full of despair. They had experienced Eleven's grief firsthand since she had lost Hopper. The nightmares, the denial, the tears, the anger, they were there to help her through all of it when Mike was not able to.

Hopper turned back to El. "No, it's me. I'm back and I'm here to help you." His voice cracked with tears.

She did not respond and her face was void of any expression. It was clear that through her silence, a fight was occurring within her mind.

_Eleven leaned against her cell door, her throat soar from screaming her friends could not hear and her fists cracked from a door that would not open. Although, it had opened before it did not seem to want to release again after throwing her back in._

_Her face was rested against her knees as she sniffled from the end of her crying. Her attention only changed when she heard a familiar voice._

_"El..." Hopper's voice was muffled by the door. Eleven quickly stood and came face to face with her father who stood on the other side of the steel door. She stumbled forward and placed her hand on the glass window. "Dad..." she whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks._

_"I'm here, El...I need you to come back to me." His tone was stern yet filled with helplessness._

_Eleven wanted nothing more than to run into his arms, but then a thought occurred. She stepped away from the door as the relief she had felt quickly turned to anger. "You're not real! You can't trick me!" Eleven yelled as she raised her eyes to the ceiling._

Hopper, Mike, Will, and the others continued to grow worried with her long silence. "Eleven talk to me...I'm here. It's me Hopper." He begged.

"You're not real! You cant trick me!" Eleven screamed and fought against her restraints. The lights began to flicker causing everyone to feel uneasy.

Hopper placed a hand on her cheek in an attempt to calm her. He felt warm tears fall down his face, "It's not a trick...I promise." His lip quivered as he drew in a sharp breath.

"Hopper just let her see you...it's her, she won't hurt us." Mike said as he stepped forward.

Hopper shook his head firmly. "I can't, we can't take that chance. Besides, she probably wouldn't even recognize me. Four years in a Russian prison wasn't exactly healthy for me." He explained as he stood.

"We are going to lose her again! You are probably our only chance at getting her back." Mike argued angrily.

"If I take that blindfold off, she could kill all of us at once is that what you want?!" Hopper replied with frustration.

Mike looked back to Eleven who clearly looked upset, the Mindflayer wouldn't hold any emotions like that for Hopper. He walked over to her and pulled the blindfold off despite everyone's objections.

Her eyes met Hopper's with pure disbelief. "You're alive..." her voice was quiet and uncertain.

Hopper cautiously stepped forward but once seeing her eyes, he knew it was her. He hastily bent down and embraced her tightly, his chin rested on her head. Although, she could not embrace him back, she was happy to once again be in her fathers arms. "I am...I'm going to help you. We are going to get rid of that son-of-a-bitch for good." He replied firmly as he wiped his tears.

Hopper slowly stepped away from her as she stared at him with continued shock. He stepped toward her again and placed a hand on her cheek. "You're all grown up...I can't believe it." He smiled and wiped her tear away with his thumb.

"I saw you...in Russia. They hurt you." She said sorrowfully.

Hopper looked down at their hands with discomfort on his face. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm back now...we are going to close the gate." He said sternly.

"The gate...in Russia." She stated.

"Yes, we will have to-"

"It's been moved..." she felt the Mindflayer attempt to pull her back so she shut her eyes and focused.

Mike and the others stepped closer. "Moved?" Mike raised a brow. She kept her eyes shut as she clenched her fists in an attempt to keep a grip on herself.

"El where was it moved?" Hopper pressed.

"A gate can't be moved...it's a portal into another dimension not a couch." Dustin chimed in.

"They have a machine that can open and close the gates. I don't know the science of it all but I've seen it. They were able to do it with the one at the mall." Hopper explained quickly.

"Where did they move it El?" Mike pushed for the answer but did not receive one.

Karen walked down the steps with a tray of food. "I brought-" she was cut off by a quick snap.

"No!" Mike screamed at ran to his mother along with Nancy.

They all turned to Eleven who had clearly been taken back into the Mindflayer's hold. Hopper attempted to put the blindfold on, only to be thrown into the wall and knocked unconscious.

Her restraints slid off as if they hadn't even been tied. Lucas and Dustin ran forward next and found themselves tossed aside and retrained with the same ropes they had bound her in.

Jonathan was grasped and suspended in the air before he could make any move. He felt his throat begin to close as he gave out choked pleas for Eleven to stop.

"Put him down!" Will screamed as he walked toward her.

Her eyes turned to him as she threw Jonathan to the side. "I know why you are doing this...you forget that I was you. I know you." Will stated firmly.

Eleven laughed. "If you knew me so well then why couldn't you stop me? I managed to spread across this town." She approached him slowly. He stood firm despite seeing the black veins again begin to spread around her. It only meant the Mindflayer was growing angrier, which is what Will expected.

"Will!" Mike yelled.

Will ignored him and continued. "You are afraid...that you will lose control. You've lost each time you've returned...only because other humans let you in. You aren't as powerful as you think you are." He stated boldly.

In response, Will felt himself get slammed into the wall. Before the blur in his vision could recede, he heard a distinct snap before a pain resonated from his arm. He screamed and held his arm in pain as Eleven now stood over him.

Will could vaguely hear his friends screaming his name but focused on Eleven. "She will win...just like she always has." Will grimaced in pain while Eleven scowled at his words. Before a final blow could be made, she felt a body collide with hers.

Mike slammed her to the ground and rolled her on top of him as he fumbled to put the blindfold back on. In his anger he found himself instead holding the blindfold against her neck and choking her with it. "You killed her!" Tears ran down his angered face as he continued to pull.

Eleven grasped his wrists and choked for air as her eyes begged for him to see her and not the Mindflayer. "M-Mike..." Her grip relaxed as she felt herself begin to fade away. At the realization of what he was doing, he immediately stopped pulling and tied the blindfold around her eyes. He backed away from her, his chest heaving as he looked from Eleven to Will; who held a look of horror.

Hopper awoke and quickly observed his surroundings. He looked to Eleven with panic in his eyes. "What did you do?!" He ran passed Mike and began looking over Eleven, who was falling unconscious. Jonathan ran to Will and attempted to help him with his arm. Mike sat between Will and Eleven frozen.

Mike and everyone's attention only changed when there was a firm knock on the door. Everyone went silent until the door was thrown off it's hinges. Billy stood at the doorway with a determined look on his face as he scanned the room.

"Billy?" Max's shaky voice said. He ignored her completely as he walked quickly toward Eleven.

Hopper stood in front of Eleven ready to defend her only for Mike to beat him to it. Billy felt a fist collide with jaw sending him stumbling backward. Before he could recover, another punch was thrown by Mike, followed by several more.

With rising anger, Billy ducked under another one of Mike swings and wrapped his arms around his waist.

He picked Mike up before slamming him through the glass table, causing it to shatter around them. Billy then took his advantage to bring his fist to Mike's face repeatedly.

"Billy stop!" Max screamed. Lucas and Dustin ran to intercept but quickly stopped when Billy brought a glass shard to Mike's throat.

"Don't move!" Billy yelled but then began to laugh. It made everyone in the room uncomfortable.

He spat his blood onto the carpet and became serious again, "I am only here for Eleven...give her to me and I won't hurt him...anymore." Billy explained slowly.

Mike fought consciousness in Billy's grip. He could feel the sharp glass biting into his neck and knew it would be wise to stay still.

"You are not taking her..." Hopper argued as he sat beside Eleven.

"Think of what she would want...if I kill her precious Mike...she will never forgive you. You will lose her more than you already have." Billy sneered.

"Don't do it Hopper." Mike begged and winced when Billy poked him teasingly.

Max, Will, Lucas, Dustin, Jonathan, and Nancy stood by helplessly yelling objections here-and-there.

Hopper felt someone grip his wrist lightly. He looked down and saw Eleven shakily lift the blindfold. Her eyes begged him to release her. "I can't lose you again..." Hopper whispered.

"I can't lose Mike...I will be okay." Her voice was weak but desperate.

"You will not be okay, you'll be-"

"Trapped...but alive. Let me go..." she replied firmly.

Hopper sucked in a sharp breath and gave a nod. He moved aside and hesitantly released Eleven's hand. "Okay...let Mike go." Hopper said shakily. He kept his eyes on Eleven taking in any possible last moments.

"No El!" Mike screamed. Billy tossed him aside and walked over to Eleven. Mike got up immediately and stumbled toward her only to be stopped. She held him in place long enough for Billy to lift her up and carry her out the door. She heard Mike's screams of objection but ignored them, because she loved him.

Mike dropped forward as soon as Eleven had released him. He pressed his forehead to the floor and sobbed as he clenched his fists in frustration. Nancy ran to her brothers side but felt him push away. "How could you do that? We had her!" He yelled as he turned to Hopper.

"Look around Mike, does it look like we had her?!" Hopper argued stood.

Mike tightened his jaw unable to fight Hopper any further. His attention returned back to his mother and he felt his throat again close up with tears, something he was growing to familiar with.

He stood and moved passed Nancy, to sit beside his mother. Nancy followed him and wrapped her brother in her arms.

Hopper limped up the steps to the phone to call Dr. Owens. What had just occurred was after all, a little strange to explain to cops.

It took a a couple hours for Owens to appear at the basement door but once he did, he was able to cover everything up. Mike's mother had fallen down the stairs and broken her neck and Will broke his arm days ago ice skating. Mike's injuries were not extensive enough to have been given a back story according to Owens.

Owens was of course very surprised to see Hopper alive but did not make a show of it. He simply gave a smile and said, "I'm happy to see you alive, pops."

Once everything in the basement was finished up Owens and his team left with Ted following them to the hospital with Nancy and Holly.

Mike remained seated on the basement couch completely silent. Hopper sat beside him also silent but placed a hand on Mike's shoulder for comfort.

Jonathan sat beside Will and observed his arm. "We should get home...mom is probably really worried." He said gently.

"How are we suppose to go home and tell her what happened to El? It's going to break her heart...she's already been through so much." Will explained.

"We are going to get El back. She's still alive. We will tell mom everything and she will help us." Jonathan explained softly. Will nodded gently.

"I'll go...I have some explaining to do as well." Hopper said as he approached them. Mike also walked toward them with a downcast expression. "I'll go too...I'd rather be anywhere but here tonight." He stated.

"You should be with your family-"

"My mom is gone, sitting in a hospital won't change that. I need to go kill that bastard before he kills someone else I love." Mike explained firmly. Jonathan, Will, and Hopper didn't object.

Lucas, Dustin, and Max decided to return back to their home for the night to get some much needed rest. Despite them wanting to be there for Hopper and Mike, they knew both of them would object anyway.

Will, Mike, Jonathan, and Hopper would make their way to Joyce with both unpleasant and surprising news.


	10. Merry Christmas I Guess?

**Sorry for the long wait! I wanted to explore Mike and Hopper's relationship a little more and so I hope its pleasing in this chapter! Thank you for those amazing reviews, they truly inspire me to keep writing. -An Unknown Stranger.**

* * *

Hopper, Jonathan, and Mike entered the apartment quietly. It was dark and silent which led them to believe Joyce was still sound asleep. They were somewhat relieved since that would give them more time to sleep and then explain in the morning. That thought was quickly destroyed.

"Jonathan?" Joyce's voice echoed. Hopper felt his heart race at the sound of her voice. He was ready to embrace her and hold her tightly to him, so he would not lose her again.

"Yeah it's me, mom." Jonathan replied. Joyce stepped out of her room and began walking down the hall with her head down. "Are Will and El with you I'm getting really worried-" she suddenly stopped when she lifted her head. Her eyes met Hopper's with disbelief. She stood completely still unable to form any words.

Hopper walked toward her slowly. "It's me Joyce..." he said gently. She immediately walked into his arms at his words and began to cry. "I've missed you..." he said gently.

"I thought you were gone...I thought you-"

"I'm here...and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He assured softly. They enjoyed a few moment of silence in one another's arms before they realized the others were waiting.

She wiped her tears as she stepped back. Her head turned to Will, Jonathan, and then to Mike. They could tell that she was clearly searching for El. "El must be at Max's, I'll call her. She's never going to believe it." Joyce walked over to the phone and began to dial Max.

"Mom..." Will's voice cracked. She looked to him and then gasped. "What happened to your arm?!" Joyce ran over to him and began checking him over.

"Mom, El's gone." Will said firmly. Her attention left his arm and met his solemn eyes. "What do you mean she's gone?" Joyce asked slowly.

"El did this to me..." He replied softly.

"No, the Mindflayer did that to you." Mike corrected. Joyce turned to Mike and observed the many cuts and bruises littering his face. Joyce shook her head, "it cant be back...it's impossible." She said sternly.

"It is...and it has her. Now we need to close the gates and get her back." Mike explained with a determined look in his eyes.

Joyce looked to Hopper and Jonathan. "How long...?" She asked shakily.

"How long what?" Jonathan asked.

"How long has it had her?" She restated.

"Since we got here...about a week ago. We didn't know for sure until yesterday night." Will explained.

Joyce began to pace.

"I only got here two days ago...I was in the lab." He confessed. Joyce stopped her pacing and faced him with a look of grief. Before she could say a word he spoke up, "We are going to help her, Joyce." Hopper said firmly.

"I should have known...I should have known." Joyce began to panic and felt an overflow of emotions. Those emotions quickly receded as soon as Hopper held her.

"We are going to go get her back. We just wanted to include you, since you're well-" He fumbled to find the words.

"Her mother, caretaker- whatever she sees me as that's for her to decide. I'm going to find her and this time no secrets better be kept from me." She looked to Will and Jonathan.

Hopper and the boys nodded in agreement. "How will we find her again? We don't know where Billy took her and it's only us. The nine of us still don't stand a chance against her." Mike explained quickly.

They all shared looks of uncertainty until Joyce spoke up.

"We need to close the gates before we get her. Once the gates are closed then we can get the Mindflayer out of her." Joyce informed.

"We don't know where the other gate is." Will replied doubtfully.

"I think I have an idea..." Hopper sighed.

"Well it needs to still wait until the morning. We are doing this together. We only got out alive last time because we were all together." Joyce pointed out.

Joyce, Jonathan, and Will were the first to head to their rooms while Mike and Hopper lingered.

Mike stared at the door longingly, clenching and unclenching his fists anxiously. Hopper placed his hand on Mike's shoulder knocking him out of his trance.

"We will save her...we need to go about it the right way though." Hopper replied leniently.

Mike's mind immediately recalled to him choking Eleven during their brief but devastating encounter with the Mindflayer. Hopper could see the conflict raging in Mike's head and frowned.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you back there...I don't blame you for losing it-"

"I hurt El." Mike argued with a broken voice.

"You were angry and grieving, Mike. We all make mistakes...and we all know that your anger was directed at the Mindflayer." Hopper explained sympathetically.

Mike bit his lip to hold back tears as he nodded. Hopper pulled him into a hug and held Mike's trembling form comfortingly.

"When I escaped from the lab...your mother was the first to take care of me. It's been four years since I've been treated like an actual human...and you're mother showed me her compassion. Made me see hope again." Hopper explained quietly. He could hear Mike's quiet whimpers as he sobbed and felt relieved that Will, Jonathan, and Joyce were in other rooms.

Mike was always the rock and he never wanted others to see him cry. But he always knew that Hopper understood. He was the father figure Mike always wanted.

Hopper patted Mike's shoulder as he wiped his tears. "Go get some rest, kid." He encouraged. Mike sniffled and gave a nod before walking away. Hopper ran a hand through his hair and sucked in a sharp breath to remain calm. Waiting was always the difficult part.

* * *

The following morning, Mike paced in front of Joyce, Hopper, Will, and Jonathan. "They were suppose to be here at nine, it's nearly ten." He scowled.

"They haven't gotten much sleep the last two days, maybe they just overslept." Will shrugged.

Mike stopped his pacing when they heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" Jonathan called.

Lucas, Dustin, and Max filed inside with seemingly happy looks on their faces. "Merry Christmas guys!" Lucas said as he walked over to give Joyce a hug.

Everyone except Lucas, Dustin, and Max held looks of shock. "It's Christmas?!" Joyce exclaimed.

"Yeah...you guys forgot didn't you?" Dustin said slowly.

"We've been so preoccupied with finding El and the Mindflayer that we forgot. It's alright the days still young we can-" Joyce was cut off by Mike walking out the front door.

Hopper jumped up and held a hand out for the others not to follow as he also left to go after Mike. "He's just upset...this isn't how we should be spending Christmas." Will sighed. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Mike, wait." Hopper said firmly. Mike trudged through the snow crossing his arms in an effort to stay warm.

"No, I'm finding El." He argued as he kept walking. Hopper jogged forward so he could block Mike's path.

"Listen you are not going anywhere. We are going to go back inside and make a plan." He said firmly.

"El sh-should be here unwrapping g-gifts right now. This isn't fair-nothing has been f-fair in her life." Mike shook from the winter air as he argued.

"If you went and got her right now she still wouldn't be herself. I know it's not fair kid trust me..but we need to do this the right way." Hopper explained gently.

Mike nodded shakily before walking back toward the apartment. Hopper's heart aches with Mike's, he also wanted nothing more than to see El happy on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, it would just have to wait.

* * *

Nancy had arrived at the apartment and sat down with Jonathan, Will, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Joyce, and Hopper. They gathered in the living room waiting to hear Hopper's idea.

"I believe the second gate is in the lab. A gate has been there before so they would have a better chance of reopening one. Also the Russians are there...Brenner was too until El killed him." Hopper explained.

"The Mindflayer killed him-"

"That's a hard one to call, El hated him too." Will pointed out.

Mike continued. "Well assuming it was the Mindflayer it would make more sense for a gate to be there. Why did the Mindflayer kill those Russian soldiers if they were opening a gate for him?" Mike questioned.

"What if they aren't dead." Dustin pointed out.

They all turned to him. "The Mindflayer can raise an undead army and control them. If they are dead their past selves no long exist, they are basically just a walking puppet for him." Dustin explained.

"So what you're saying is that the Mindflayer has an undead army at his disposal?" Max raised a brow. Dustin nodded.

"If that was his plan then that gate will be guarded and they will all be as strong as Billy." Nancy informed them. Discomfort was now etched on everyone's faces.

"The first gate is already spreading across the town...another one will destroy this town." Will explained.

"He wants to turn Hawkins into the upside down." Jonathan scowled.

"I still don't understand why Hawkins is so special." Lucas sighed.

"Because of El...once El opened that first gate years ago he got a taste and wanted more." Mike replied.

"And now he has her...so does that mean he will spread beyond Hawkins?" Lucas raised a brow. Everyone grew silent and shared worried looks.

"He won't get that far. We will close the gates and then get him out of El. Then he's gone for good." Mike said firmly.

"We still haven't said how we will close these gates..." Nancy pointed out.

"We are splitting up." Hopper informed them. A yell of objections resonated around the room.

"Yeah cause that's always a great idea!" Dustin joked.

"Hear me out...if we cut one gate off then it will weaken the Mindflayer enough for us to get it out of El. It will have almost no power." Hopper explained gently.

Everyone still seemed uneasy about his suggestion. "So what are the teams?" Mike asked him.

Hopper sat back and pondered. "Team lab will be Jonathan, Nancy, Joyce, and I." He informed.

"Can I call you team senior citizen?" Dustin asked with a raised hand.

They ignored him and continued. "Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Max, you guys will go back to the sauna get that thing out of El and have her close the last gate." He said firmly.

"And if she can't close the gate?" Will asked hesitantly.

"What do you mean if she can't close it? She's closed one before-"

"He means if she dies. How will we close it?" Mike said before glaring at Will.

"We have to think about that, Mike. Trust me I really don't want it to come to that but the thought has crossed all of our minds I'm sure." Will argued.

Mike put his head down distraught at any thought of losing El. "If it came down to that...then we will have to find someway to get the Russians portal machine to the sauna." Hopper shrugged.

"Well I have a question." Lucas raised his hand dramatically.

Everyone turned to him and listened. "The last time we fought El we got our asses kicked. What will make this time any different?" He asked.

"Well assuming everything goes to plan. The gate in the lab will close first causing the Mindflayer to weaken...if things don't go as planned then do whatever you did last time but knock her out first." Hopper explained with uncertainty.

"Well our plans have never gone to plan so be ready..." Joyce sighed. Everyone nodded solemnly.

"I'm going to go get some things together before we do anything. While I'm gone try and have a little holiday fun, yeah?" Hopper raised a brow and directed his last words toward Mike. He stood and left without another word.

Will handed Mike a small box that was labeled from Eleven. "I'll wait till she's here..." he said as he gently pushed the gift box away. Will nodded and turned to the others.

One thing for sure, it would be a Christmas they would never forget.


	11. The Waiting Game

**Kind of a long chapter, some of you may find it a little boring but its necessary. The next chapter will be very intense i promise! -AnUnknownStranger**

* * *

Mike tapped his foot anxiously as he sat at the end of the couch away from his friends. They were all discussing the gifts they had received and any current holiday family drama. Mike couldn't help but be a little annoyed at how calm everyone seemed to be but at the same time he was glad to see them happy.

"You know you should go see dad and Holly...they need you too." Nancy urged her brother.

Mike lowered his head. "What am I suppose to say? I can't even tell them the truth." He frowned.

"You don't need to say anything, Mike. Just be there for them." Nancy placed a hand on Mike's shoulder for reassurance.

He nodded. "When Hopper comes back you call me." Mike said as he stood. "I can give you a ride, man." Lucas offered. He had been eavesdropping but decided to play it off.

"Thanks..." Mike said as he pulled his coat on. Lucas and Mike left without another word while the others stayed behind.

"How are you doing, mom?" Will asked Joyce carefully. "Just worried about El at the moment. I have a bad feeling..." she whispered brokenly. "She may seem tough but during those four years I really got to know her. She puts on a brave face but she is just as afraid as the rest of us." Joyce sniffled.

Will looked down with sadness in his eyes before shifting uncomfortably. Joyce noticed of course and locked eyes with him signaling for him to say what he needed to say. "The Mindflayer...he destroys you from the inside-out. He messes with your memories, emotions, mind...he's just terrifying in so many different ways." Joyce could see the fear etched in Will's eyes as he confessed his concern.

"El is strong just like you. These gates are going to close and he will be gone for good." She stated firmly. Will could see that she didn't truly believe in her statement but it needed to be said nonetheless.

Will grabbed something under the tree before returning to his mothers side. "I got El this..." he said as he handed Joyce a small box.

Inside, the box contained a very detailed sketch of himself and Eleven wrapped around a small cassette as wrapping paper. "This is amazing sweetie..." Joyce said as she observed the drawing.

"Holy shit!" Dustin yelled as he looked to the drawing. Everyone observed it in awe and endearment while Joyce shed a tear. The cassette tape was labeled "My amazing sisters playlist."

"Jonathan helped with the tape." Will smiled and looked to Jonathan. "You both have been the best brothers, she is going to love this." Joyce explained sincerely.

"Well hopefully we can get it to her soon." Will sighed. Everyone nodded in agreement.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hopper had made a very shocking appearance at the station. He had very little time to explain to his old comrades how he survived, so for now they settled on an unknown explanation.

"Well we have had nine calls about lawns, flowers, and crops dying. A couple animals are missing as well as one man that went hunting yesterday morning and wasn't seen again." Officer Callahan informed.

"How separated are these calls?" Hopper asked.

"About five days now..." he sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

Hopper nodded slowly. "When you visit these crops and lawns do you find that the soil is rotten?" He asked.

"Yeah...say do you know something we don't Chief- sorry Hop?" Callahan asked.

"I don't know yet...where is the new Chief?" Hopper asked.

"He's speaking with the hunters wife back at her place." He replied.

He nodded and made his way to the exit. "Hey, Hop..." Callahan called. Hopper turned to face him, "it's good to have you back." He said with a smile. "It's good to be back..." Hopper replied before leaving.

Hopper had found the information he needed at the moment. The Mindflayer was indeed spreading across the town and by the looks of it, they didn't have much more time. The upside down would only continue to spread across Hawkins and as of right now they didn't stand a chance at stopping it. Not without Eleven.

* * *

Mike leaned against the window as Lucas drove him back to his house. Lucas could see the unspoken grief in Mike and knew Mike was one to not share his feelings often.

"I remember this one time I fell off my bike, I skinned my knee pretty bad. Anyway, your mom bandaged me up and told me to get back on. She was always good at taking care of people." Lucas explained with a voice full of sadness.

"She said that before she married my dad that she wanted to be a nurse. I guess she changed her mind when Nancy came along. Thats when she decided she just wanted to be a mother." Mike's voice cracked with tears.

Lucas looked over to his friend and frowned. Before he could say anything Mike spoke up again. "El's never going to forgive herself. It wasn't even her that did it." Mike shook his head.

"Hey, right now I think you need to focus on yourself. You need to forgive yourself first man." Lucas encouraged. Mike would never admit it, but Lucas was right. Right now, Mike needed to focus on himself and his family. For the first time in years, Mike needed to focus on his own battles rather than Eleven's.

Although, that would probably have to wait a bit longer now. Mike's eyes widened when a figure stood in the middle of the road. It was hard to make out who it was due to the blizzard currently happening outside but in the moment it didn't matter. "Lucas watch out!" Mike yelled and pointed at the figure.

Lucas swerved out of the way causing his car to skid on ice. The vehicle only came to a stop when it made contact with a tree. Mike's vision went dark for a moment as he fought consciousness. With blurry vision he lifted his head and turned to Lucas, who's unconscious form was leaned on the wheel. Mike shook his friend gently and frowned at the sight of blood dripping from Lucas' forehead. "Shit!" Mike yelled as he unbuckled his seatbelt. He roughly pushed the door open and took a step out of the car only to fall from his dizziness. While he was on his knees, two shoes imbedded into the snow before him. He slowly raised his head and nearly gasped at the sight.

Mike quickly sat up and pressed himself against the car in fear. "You probably didn't think you'd be seeing me again." Brenner smiled.

"Eleven-or the Mindflayer k-killed you." Mike stated with confusion.

"I thought you were the smart one in the group, Micheal." Brenner frowned and shook his head in disapproval.

Mike pondered for a moment. "You're not Brenner...you're the Mindflayer. Or one of his Flayed." He said slowly.

"You can call me what you'd like but I am much more than what you could possibly think. Soon I will be everyone and everything and you will not be able to stop me. Not without Eleven." He said firmly.

"We will all stop you and we will have Eleven when we do. I know you're afraid of her...you don't have complete control of her." Mike argued angrily.

Brenner smirked causing Mike to feel uncomfortable. "You forget...I don't need Eleven alive to control her. I've only kept her alive to torment her as she did me. Eleven is in a prison that she cannot escape...that is her punishment." He explained sadistically.

Mike shook with a mixture of anger and cold as he balled his hand into a fist. "I haven't come to fight...only to relay a message." Brenner stated.

"What could you possibly have to say?" Mike scowled. Brenner took a step back and clasped his hands behind his back. "If you continue to fight me, more of your family will die. Your mother was only the beginning. I will make sure that Eleven kills every last one of you if you do not stop." He explained firmly.

"You sound threatened by us. Why else would you want to tell me that?" Mike taunted.

Brenner smirked. "Smart boy...continue and I'll make sure I have nothing to be threatened by." He said before walking away.

Mike watched as Brenner disappeared into the blizzard. He then remembered Lucas and ran around to the drivers side. "Lucas wake up!" He urged as he shook him. It took a couple shakes for Lucas to come to but once he did, he realized something bad had happened by the look on Mike's face.

Mike took over driving and decided to drive back to the apartment. His family affairs would once again have to wait.

* * *

When they arrived back at the house, everyone turned to them as Mike stumbled through the door with Lucas dizzily clinging onto him. Max ran straight to Lucas' side with worry overcoming her. "What happened?!" Max asked.

She led Lucas to the couch and sat beside him to observe his head. Seeing that Lucas was busy having Max tend to his would everyone looked to Mike for an answer. Mike sat beside Nancy looking clearly shaken. "Mike...what happened?" Nancy asked gently.

"We got in an accident...Brenner caused it." He said as he leaned back.

Everyone seemed confused. "Brenner died in the lab." Will argued.

"Well clearly he didn't." Mike replied with an anger not directed at Will but toward the predicament.

"I think this proves my theory. The mindflayer is controlling people, even the ones that died. Undead army." Dustin explained.

Mike nodded. "Hopper's not back yet?" He questioned.

As if on queue the front door opened revealing Hopper. He froze at the door and noticed the tension in the room. "Oh shit what happened now?" Hopper sighed as he closed the door.

Mike gave him a short recap as he sat down before completing his encounter. "He said that if we tried to stop him that he'd have Eleven kill us. Eleven specifically." Mike frowned.

"Well we already assumed he'd try and do that. The mindflayer is afraid and that is exactly what we want." Hopper replied firmly.

"Are you missing the part where he has an undead army?" Mike raised a brow.

"Theoretically, if we separate the brain from the body then there's nothing for it to control." Dustin informed

"Just like the gate and the Mindflayer?" Lucas question.

"Yes...only a little more physical." Dustin slid a finger across his neck for theatrics.

"So we will have to..." Joyce seemed disgusted at the idea. Hopper nodded just for clarity.

"Technically you aren't killing since they are already dead." Max shrugged. No one seemed to be comforted by that information.

"So I guess the question is, when do we strike?" Jonathan asked the group.

"We will go at midnight, for now go spend the rest of the day with your families." Hopper said as he stood and walked away. Mike quickly followed him down the hallway. "We are going to keep waiting?" He argued.

Hopper stopped and turned to Mike. "We have one shot at this, Mike. If we fail this there is no next time. There will be no saving Eleven if we aren't absolutely ready because we will be dead." He explained sternly.

"While we sit and wait for a perfect plan that frankly doesn't exist, my girlfriend is doing terrible things that she can not control. She is in a prison that only one of us have ever experienced...and honestly Will has never been the same. So I'm sorry if I seem to be in a little hurry!" Mike shot back.

Hopper took a deep breath. "What would El want you to do right now if she were here?" He asked gently. Mike looked down and bit his lip.

"You know what she would want. If we die saving her, no prison will be worse for her than losing the only family she has ever known." Hopper explained sincerely. Hopper placed a hand on Mike's shoulder and met his eyes. "We go at midnight. Fully prepared." He said sternly. Mike nodded in agreement and decided then and there to quit arguing with Hopper. At the end of the day, Hopper was usually right.

* * *

_Eleven sat in a room surrounded by white walls. She was strapped to a chair alone with her thoughts and the silence that followed. Sometimes she would be in a cell and when she wasn't, she was strapped to the chair. She wondered if it was the Mindflayer that chose her room of imprisonment or her own mind. Both rooms were within the lab that was certain, both room equally torturous due to their separate histories._

_The cell is where she spent most of her time growing up since it was her bedroom. At the time she thought of it as normal since she didn't know what normal truly was. The room in which she currently found herself trapped was the testing room. Usually, she would be ordered to test her abilities as she sat in a chair working along side very evil men. At the time she didn't need to be retrained due to her naive nature, but things were different now. The mindflayer did not want another opportunity for her to break out._

_Eleven attempted to slip out of her bindings which only resulted in rubbing her wrists raw. "Why are you ignoring me?!" Eleven cried out. Her chest heaved and tears rolled down her face. Although her imprisonment has occurred for a couple days, just an hour felt like days within her mind._

_"Talk to me?!" She continued as she yelled at the ceiling. In response, a figure stepped through the doorway. "Hopper...?" Eleven's question came out as a whisper._

_He ignored her and leaned against the table beside her. His arms were crossed and the look on his face seemed disapproving. "Why?" Hopper asked firmly._

_Eleven furrowed her brows in confusion. "Why...what?" She asked with a cracked voice. "Why did you forget about me?" He asked with hurt._

_"I would never-"_

_"Four years. I was left in a Russian prison for four years and you are whining about a couple days?" He questioned. Eleven almost didn't know how to reply. "I lost my powers...I-I thought you were dead." She replied brokenly._

_Hopper nodded slowly. "I wish I was...maybe then I wouldn't have to live with the disappointment of having a monster as a daughter." He scowled. Eleven shook her head and felt tears roll down her cheeks. "Get out of my head." She scowled._

_"No, I think it's time you got out of my head." Hopper-or rather the Mindflayer stepped forward and gripped the back of Eleven's head. "It's time you know what torment really is." He said before submerging her head into water._

_She tried to pull away as she fought for air but to no avail. When she felt she had drawn her final breath, she was pulled back out. Eleven gasped for air as she stumbled back against a wall, but not the same wall. When she opened her eyes she was in the Byers old house._

_Her head turned to the sounds of Will's voice followed by Joyce's. "Why would you agree to take her? She's a freak!" Will yelled angrily._

_Hurt flashed in Eleven's eyes as she witnessed their argument. She needed to remind herself that it was just another one of the Mindflayers tricks._

_"I'm doing this for Hopper, it's what he would have wanted. Her powers are gone...if she's around maybe they will come back so she can find Hopper." Joyce replied firmly._

_Eleven didn't like Joyce's response much more since it felt like they only wanted to use her. Again she had to remind herself that it isn't real._

_"This better not be permanent." Will said before storming away._

_Eleven shakily stood to her feet and wandered the house. "I see everything Eleven. I see the past, the present, the future...you can tell yourself it isn't real all you want but you know the truth. You are unwanted." The Mindflayers voice rang in her ears and as desperately as she tried to tune it out she couldn't._

_As she wandered down the hall everything suddenly changed. She found herself now in the Jonathan and Nancy's apartment. Everyone sat around the tree opening gifts and laughing without a care in the word. She observed as Hopper and Joyce sat on the couch conversing happily while the others opened their gifts with joy. Mike and Will seemed content as they opened their presents, not a single thought of saving her in their heads._

_Eleven shook her head and back away. "This isn't real." She cried out._

_"I'm afraid it is. I was protecting you when I kept you in the lab Eleven...now you have to face the worst torment. These people that you call your family do not care about you." The Mindflayer taunted._

_Eleven slid down the wall and tucked her knees to her chest as she sobbed._

* * *

Meanwhile, Mike failed to get any sleep that everyone suggested he try and get. He instead clenched his pillow and stared at the ceiling awaiting the time for them to rescue Eleven.


	12. The Final Fight Part 1

**The final battle is arriving! I divided it into two chapters since so much happens. You will all love and hate it i can promise you that. -An Unknown Stranger **

* * *

As hard as Mike tried to stay awake till midnight, his body succumb to its tiredness. Mike found himself in a dream only it felt different, everything around him was dark and the floor beneath him soaked his shoes with water. It took him a moment but he recognized that it resembled the void that Eleven had described to him once. At the realization his heart began to pound at the thought of seeing Eleven. Not the Mindflayer. Eleven, his Eleven.

"El!" Mike yelled as his eyes searched.

"Mike!" Her voice echoed around him causing his eyes to wander faster. "El!" He yelled again. He found no sight of her until he turned once again. Eleven stood frozen with a look of disbelief on her face.

"El?" His eyes searched her's to make sure that it was indeed his El. "Mike..." her voice was a whisper of uncertainty.

Mike found himself no longer able to hold himself back. He walked toward her quickly until his arms wrapped around her tightly. His chin rested on her head as he closed his eyes and enjoyed holding her. He could feel her head against his chest and heard her mumbling incoherently.

He pulled away and held her face in his hands gently. Her eyes were shut tightly as she continued to whisper the words "it's not real."

"El...it's real, I'm here. Look at me." Mike said gently. She kept her eyes shut and shakily grasped his wrists.

"Eleven...please...look at me." He begged softly. Her eyes opened slowly causing him to smile and her to relax.

The hollowness in her eyes brought sorrow to Mike.

She crumbled back into his chest and gripped him as though he place slip away any moment. Which they knew could happen.

"How is this happening...?" Mike asked her curiously. "I don't know...I just wanted to see you one last time." She replied quietly.

He furrowed his brows. "One last time?"

"You can't come save me, Mike." She said firmly. He pulled away slowly and looked to her with disbelief.

"No, we are-"

She placed her hands over his mouth. "Don't tell me. The Mindflayer...he's been using my powers to know what you are all planning. I-I can't stop him." Eleven lowered her hands and looked down in shame.

Mike grasped her hands gently. "You need to trust us, El. We know he's watching..." Mike informed.

Eleven felt relieved that Mike knew the Mindflayer was watching them. So any plan they had made was not fully divulged to the Mindflayer.

"If you try to save me...I won't be able to stop it-"

"I promised you I would protect you...that means from yourself as well. I need you to trust us." Mike said sincerely. Eleven wanted to continue to argue with Mike but knew it would be hopeless. Nothing would stop Mike from protecting her.

Mike held her face in his hands again and observed her eyes gently. "I love you."

"I love you..." Eleven replied with the same softness and sincerity as Mike. He pressed his lips to her's and let it linger as long as the void would allow.

He suddenly gasped away and sat up drenched in sweat. Will and Lucas both heard him and turned to him with worry.

"Are you okay?" Will asked quietly. Mike took a moment to catch his breath as he cupped his face with his hands.

When he pulled away he observed the blood now on them. Mike brought his hands to his nose and noticed it was bleeding.

Will switched on the light causing everyone to stir and groan. "Your nose is bleeding." Will stated the obvious.

"What happened Mike?" Lucas asked firmly. Their conversation had awoke everyone else sleeping in the living room. Max and Dustin joined followed by Nancy and Jonathan. Mike took a tissue his sister offered him and placed it to his nose.

"I saw El..." he began. Hopper and Joyce stepped into the living room looking like they hadn't even attempted to sleep.

"I was in the void. I spoke to her..." Mike explained softly.

"What did she say?" Hopper asked firmly as he took a seat in front of Mike.

Mike took a piece of paper wrote something quickly and then folded it before handing it to Hopper.

Hopper looked to Mike with confusion as Mike motioned for him to just open it. Hopper unfolded it slowly and felt everyone crowd around him. The paper read "The Mindflayer is using El's powers to watch us. Spy."

Hopper folded the paper and nodded. "Change of plan...no strike tonight. We need to figure this out more. Remember what I said, we have one shot at this." Hopper said as he wrote on the paper. He handed it back to Mike before standing to his feet.

Mike placed a pillow over his lap to cover the paper. It read, "plan remains the same. We leave at separate times. Team senior citizens first."

Will stood along with the others. "So we are giving up our plan just like that? What if El doesn't have another day?" Will argued as he looked to Hopper.

"We need to trust, Hop." Mike replied as he stood to his feet. Will and the others looked to him with confusion. It was rare for Mike to agree with Hopper.

Hopper gave Mike a grateful nod as he pulled his jacket on. "Joyce, Jonathan, Nancy and I will be back. We need to get some supplies...we will meet up back here." Hopper explained as he stood at the door. Joyce, Nancy, and Jonathan followed him.

"This late?" Max questioned.

Everyone other than Hopper, Mike, Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy hadn't seem to catch onto the plan. Mike would literally have to spell it out for them.

Mike felt relieved seeing Nancy tuck her pistol into the back of her pants. She gave him a look before shutting the door. Mike and his sister had learned to understand one another without having to say anything. A look was all it took for Mike to see that she loved him and would see him again.

"I have some supplies in my trunk but we will need more." Hopper informed Joyce. She nodded understanding that he had enough supplies. They needed to keep the lie in order to convince the Mindflayer if he were to be watching them.

Hopper began to drive toward the lab as fast as his car would allow. Time was not on their side.

"So is he bringing supplies for us as well?" Lucas asked Mike sarcastically.

"Yes actually. Follow me." Mike replied as he walked into a bedroom. Everyone followed him and watched him open a closet.

"He told me these would be for us..." Mike pulled out a machete, a pocket knife, a slingshot, a bat, and a rifle to everyone's shock.

"When the hell did he have time to get this shit?" Dustin asked curiously.

"I'm assuming when he ran that errand earlier or when he went to the cabin." Mike shrugged as he began handing out items.

He gave Max the machete, Will the pocket knife, Dustin a bat, Lucas the slingshot, and the rifle to himself. "Mike do you even know how to use that?" Max questioned.

"Nancy gave me some lessons over the years." He pointed the barrel down and began quickly loading bullets into the chamber before clicking it back.

"Hopefully, I won't have to use it." Mike added as he walked past them.

"Do you think El will be alone?" Will asked Mike gently. Mike shook his head in reply, "No, I think Billy will be with her. Also there's a chance some of his undead army will also be there." Mike explained.

Will nodded before walking a bit quicker to join Mike by his side. "When you saw El...how was she?" Mike could hear the intense amount of concern in Will's voice. Mike took a shaky breath and moved uncomfortably. "She was El...just a bit more disoriented. She was saying "it's not real" and kept whispering it to herself." Mike explained worriedly.

Will looked to his feet and shook his head. "The Mindflayer does that...he shows you things that aren't real to try and make you give up. It's torture." Will frowned.

Mike nodded slowly. "Well soon she's going to be free. You and I will be right there for her, telling her that we are real." He assured.

"I think seeing you was the motivation she needed to keep fighting." Will informed. Mike smiled at Will's statement.

* * *

Joyce's car rolled up to the lab gate slowly. "Alright...I don't know how many will be in there." Hopper informed them.

"Well...I guess we will find out." Jonathan picked up his nail bat.

"We stay together all the way to the portal machine. Understood?" Hopper asked firmly as he looked to each one of them. They all nodded in agreement.

"Okay, let's do this." Hopper pulled out his pistol and grasped the door handle. Before the door opened, Joyce held his arm. "Hopper and I need one minuet. Stay by the car." Joyce told Jonathan and Nancy. They gave a nod before stepping out of the car.

Hopper furrowed his brows with confusion. "Joyce-"

Before he could finished, she placed her lips on his. He did not pull away, instead her leaned in and let their kiss linger. Joyce pulled away, "If something happens to us in there...I just want you to know that I love you. I always have." Joyce stated firmly.

Hopper smiled. To say he was shocked that Joyce was the first to say "I love you" was an understatement. He always believed he would be the first if given the opportunity. Truth is, he wanted to say it the moment he first saw her after his return if not for his fear of rejection.

"I love you..." Hopper replied sincerely. His gaze wandered back to her lips before kissing her once more.

"Now let's go save our daughter." Joyce said before stepping out of the car. Hopper shook out of his lovestruck and back to reality.

Surprisingly, Jonathan and Nancy didn't say a word. They continued on into the lab ready to fight whatever they were about to face.

* * *

"Alright...I'll drive you guys home." Mike informed the group. They all understood that simply meant it was time to close the portal. If only they could know when the Mindflayer was watching them.

Everyone hopped into Lucas' car and began driving to the community pool. The silence within the vehicle was something odd. It was very rare that the group was a quiet one. "I need you guys to promise me something..." Mike broke the silence.

"Depends what you are asking us to promise." Lucas replied as he kept his eyes on the road.

Mike looked to his hands before answering. "Whatever happens...we save El. If something were to happen to you me, you save her." He said firmly.

"Nothings-"

"We aren't kids anymore. We can't pretend nothing bad with happen to us...we are not invincible." Mike argued gently.

Everyone hesitantly nodded. "I can't lose her. So promise me...promise me you guys will save her." Mike pleaded.

"I promise." Lucas replied firmly.

"I promise." Dustin also replied.

"I promise." Max replied.

"I promise but only if you promise me the same. She's my sister...I'll do anything to save her." Will replied sternly.

Mike hesitated before answering. Once realizing Will had just as much a reason to want her safe he agreed. "I promise." Mike replied gently.

Lucas' car came to a stop in front of the Hawkins Community Pool. "Remember, the head has to be separated from the body. If it isn't it can just come back." Dustin explained to the group

"What if it knows we are here? It could have watched us that whole car ride." Max asked.

"Well, it's too late for it to run away and too late for us to go back." Mike said before leaving the car.

Everyone exited the car after him clutching their weapons.

* * *

Back at the lab, Hopper, Joyce, Nancy, and Jonathan walked through the halls quietly. The lights flickers and the lab seemed to be void of any sounds or movement. "It looks abandoned..." Nancy whispered.

"El said that it's here...it has to be." Hopper replied quietly.

When they rounded the next corner, they came face-to-face with an undead Russian soldier. Hopper quickly placed the barrel of his pistol under the soldiers chin and fired.

Nancy and Joyce stumbled back in shock seeing the blood splatter onto the ceiling. Hopper pistol had a silencer giving them the ability to remain stealth.

"First one down..." Hopper said as he continued walking. They faced a new soldier each hallway they entered. Joyce had brought her axe to the neck of one while Jonathan swung his bat to the head of another. Nancy refrained from firing her pistol as long as possible, considering it did not have a silencer.

"Almost there." Hopper whispered. They rounded another corner and found the door to the location of the last portal.

Hopper peaked through the window and sighed with relief seeing that the portal machine was there. Then his relief diminished seeing how many undead soldiers there were. Brenner included.

"I count ten along with Brenner." Hopper informed Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy.

"There's no way...they have inhuman strength." Jonathan argued.

"We have taken out the ones we've faced so far. We can't stop now." Hopper said firmly.

"So what's the plan?" Joyce asked him.

Hopper pondered. "If I destroy the machine, it will vaporize them. I only need one clean shot once I open that door." He explained.

"Are you serious? Last time you did that you nearly died." Joyce argued in a harsh whisper.

"I will remain at this door. I only need to crack it open, fire, and then close it." Hopper replied.

"Assuming you have good aim still. You haven't shot a gun in four years." Joyce continued to argue.

"Do you have a better plan Joyce?" Hopper raised a brow.

"How many bullets do you have left?" She asked him.

"Five." He frowned.

"Take out five soldiers as fast as you can. Then we only have to kill Brenner and five more." Joyce explained.

Hopper looked to Jonathan and Nancy who seemed to agree with Joyce's plan. "You better hope my aim is still good." Hopper sighed.

Jonathan, Nancy, and Joyce watched as Hopper cracked the door open and aimed. They heard the faint down of his silencer repeated five times before he ducked back to the side. "I missed one of my five. Six and Brenner." He informed with slight shame.

"Still better than I thought you'd do." Joyce shrugged. Hopper rolled his eyes and raised three fingers. He began counting down till his hand balled into a fist. All three of them ran through the door ready to take out the six undead soldiers and Brenner.

* * *

Back at the community pool, the party walked quietly toward the sauna room. Mike peaked through the door and found no sign of undead soldiers. "It looks empty." He whispered.

"What if El isn't here?" Will asked quietly.

"She has to be, this is the only other gate. It wouldn't be unguarded." Mike argued.

"Yeah it's definitely guarded." Max whispered as she peaked through the window.

They observed as Eleven sat near the sauna with a blindfold around her head. "The Mindflayer is using her powers." Mike scowled as he observed carefully.

"Um, Mike." Dustin's concerned voice spoke.

"What Dustin?" Mike whispered harshly. He turned around and found what Dustin was concerned about. Billy stood behind the group and grabbed Mike by the neck. He held him in a choke hold and began pushing him into the sauna room. The rest followed full of worry about Mike's current predicament.

Eleven took her blindfold off and stood. "She told you I was watching. You all really thought that "saying you're going to fight another day" would trick me?" Eleven used air quotes to mock them.

Billy tightened his grip on Mike causing him to wince and drop his gun. "You brought a gun, a knife, a bat, a bigger knife, and a slingshot..." Eleven's eyes wandered to each weapon as she smiled in amusement.

"Your clearly still afraid since you have this idiot doing your work." Mike scowled as he wrestled in Billy's grip. She motioned for Billy to release him to which he pushed Mike to the side.

"I told you that I would kill every one of you if you tried to stop me." Eleven stated as she stepped forward.

Mike bent down and grasped his rifle. "You won't kill me. If you did Eleven would die." She said as she watched Mike.

"The only thing dying tonight...will be you." Mike directed his words toward the Mindflayer.

It was time to end it all, the Mindflayer, The Upside-down, the lab, all of it.


	13. A Shadow Within the Light

**Crazy chapter! both horrible and fun to write. Try not to hate me if you cried, it is definitely a sad chapter but dont lose hope! Thank you for the reviews and support! -An Unknown Stranger.**

**Song: Keep on Loving You- REO Speedwagon**

* * *

Presently at the lab, Hopper, Joyce, Nancy, and Jonathan had made it to the portal machine. Only six undead soldiers and Brenner stood in between them and a giant step toward Eleven's ultimate freedom.

With no bullets left, Hopper had to result in the use of a crowbar he had brought as backup. Very unfortunate considering the undead soldiers could still handle a gun. When they entered they could see the portal engine running and beginning to create a giant crack into the other world.

Every undead soldier brought their attention to the intruders. There was almost no time to react before ones head was already detached from its body. "That's for my son you piece of shit!" Joyce yelled angrily. Hopper couldn't help but smirk despite being slightly disturbed by her recent action.

Hopper brought a crowbar to another's head while Jonathan brought his bat down on another. As he struggled to release the nails from the undead soldiers head, Nancy fired her gun at one. The bullet hit the undead soldiers head perfectly before it collapse to the ground, fully destroyed.

Jonathan yanked his bat free after several attempts and retightened his grip on it, ready to take out another undead. Before he could do so, a shot was fired but not from Nancy.

Instead, Nancy looked over to Jonathan with a look of horror on her face. Jonathan released his grip on the bat and allowed it to fall aside. He brought a hand slowly to his side and observed the blood now pooling around his shirt.

He looked back up to Nancy before falling to the ground. "Jonathan!" Nancy screamed as she ran to his side.

Hopper and Joyce's eyes widened when they realized. Hopper eyes wandered upward as Joyce ran to her sons side. His eyes met Brenner's sneering face and he pointed his gun back downward.

"I told you...I win." Brenner spoke quietly as he directed his words less toward Hopper and more toward Eleven.

* * *

Just before the party had swung their first bat or shot their first bullet or rock, they all stopped and stared at Eleven.

Eleven stumbled back and looked straight almost as if in a trance. Her eyes void of any expression and a mouth of words unable to be spoken.

Billy looked to her and smiled disturbingly as if he knew why the sudden snap in her mind. "El..." Mike urged her to take hold once again in the sudden moment of relapse.

A single tear left her eye giving everyone a sense of uneasiness. "Jonathan." All it took was a single name to exit her mouth for everyone to realize.

Will ran forward toward Billy with a new rage and pain behind his eyes. Mike and Lucas grabbed him and held him tight as he sobbed and fought against their grip.

"You son-of-a-bitch! You can't kill him!" Will screamed as he reached for Billy.

Billy continued to smile. "I already have."

Will collapse full of pure grief, his body shook with sobs as Mike and Lucas lowered him to the ground.

Eleven stood frozen reliving her favorite memories with Jonathan. From the time he comforted her when Hopper "died," to the hours he spent helping her with her homework, and to the nights they watched movies together. There were a lot of great memories of Jonathan, most encompassing him being the best big brother to Will and herself.

* * *

Meanwhile, Nancy held a jacket to Jonathan's wound. "Stay with us honey...we are going to get out of here." Joyce encouraged with a trembling voice.

Nancy and Joyce suddenly jumped in shock when they heard the sound of several rounds being fired. A moment later, Brenner was sliding down the wall a bullet in his head and several in his body. Nancy hadn't even realized she had dropped her gun.

"Get him out of here. I am going to close it and meet you out there." Hopper stated firmly as he lowered the gun.

"No, we can't carry him. You lift him out of here and I'll close it down." Joyce argued.

Hopper was about to object until he realized she was right. He was the only one capable of lifting Jonathan off the ground. He simply gave a nod, picked Jonathan up, and left the base with Nancy.

Joyce walked over to the controls and began switching off the power to the engine.

Once the engine was fully powered off, she left to join them outside the base.

It would be up to the party now to close the final portal.

* * *

Billy stumbled and shook his head discomforting right as the first portal closed. The others took that as confirmation that team senior citizens had succeeded.

"Now!" Mike yelled. He aimed his gun at Billy only for him to quickly grip it and point it upward. He then yanked it away and stepped toward Mike. As he stepped forward, a bat was swung near his head. Billy ducked only to stabbed in the shoulder by Max's machete. As he pulled the machete out of his shoulder, he felt a large rock hit his neck. "Shit, I missed." Lucas mumbled.

Billy walked over to Lucas angrily with a machete in hand. "Hey!" Will yelled. Billy stopped and turned to Will.

He shakily brought his pocket knife out, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "You took my brother...you aren't taking my sister too." Will scowled.

Billy clenched the machete and approached Will quickly. He brought the weapon back before driving it quickly forward.

"No!" Mike screamed. Everyone stood still, pure horror etched on all of their faces. Max was in the process of falling to her knees in anguish as she watched the scene before her. Lucas knelt down and held her sobbing form comforting as he also began to cry. Dustin gritted his teeth a shook with emotion as he clenched his bat ready to strike again. Despite the tears now rolling down his cheeks, he was more angry than sad at the moment.

Eleven stood in front of Will with the blade through her. Will's eyes widened as he stumbled back his face full of shock and distress. Eleven stumbled forward into Billy's arms as he kept the blade embedded in her. He leaned forward so his mouth was beside her ear. "I win...you lose." He whispered with satisfaction in his tone.

The blood rushing up her throat prevented her from speaking. All she could was look to him with pleading eyes. Eyes that begged for him to spare her family.

Before Billy could say another word, a shot rang in everyone's ears. Mike held his rifle shakily as he kept it aimed at Billy's head. Trembling with anger and sorrow, Mike had never felt more relief than pulling that trigger.

Billy released Eleven and fell to the ground dead, along with the Mindflayer's final grip of control. That is until Eleven is dead and he gains complete control of her.

Mike tossed his rifle aside as he ran to Eleven. He shook his head and began to sob as he slowly pulled the blade out. He held her in his arms and looked to her with eyes that implored her to keep fighting.

She choked on the blood pooling in her mouth as she tried to speak. She found herself unable to, so instead she weakly took off her ring and placed it in Mike's hand. He shook his head in refusal as he watched the love of his life die in his arms.

Tears clouded his vision as he looked to his friends for help. They all seemed to be sobbing as they watched their best friend perish. Mike's eyes fell on Will, who had his face now pressed to her hand as he sobbed.

Mike's eyes landed on the sauna. He looked back to El and took a short breath."Help me... the sauna. There's time." Mike stumbled with his words as he began to stand and drag her into the sauna.

"Mike, she's gone...the Mindflayer won." Will argued painfully.

"No, he hasn't got her y-yet. Turn it on." The tone in his voice was less stern and more of a cry for help.

They watched as he leaned her against the wall. He then slammed the door shut and locked himself inside with her. "Turn it on!" He yelled.

"You'll die in there-"

"Turn it on! You promised!" Mike begged. Will wiped his tears and turned the dial to its maximum heat.

Mike held Eleven in his arms and felt the heat begin to rise. "You have to keep fighting El...you have to." He encouraged with broken sobs.

Mike could feel the heat begin to rise around him. It wasn't long before his skin became sticking and sweat began to bead on his forehead as well as her's.

All Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Max could do was watch both of their best friends fight for their lives.

_Meanwhile, Eleven found herself alone in the void. No Mindflayer, only her. The void was unlike anytime she had seen it before, on one side she saw a beach. It was a paradise. On the other, the black void with a red door sitting at the center._

_"El you have to fight..." Mike's voice echoed around the void, begging her to return to him._

_The sound of the ocean waves crashing once again caught her attention. She had only ever experience a beach in a vision four years ago, never in person. It had always been something she dreamed of, never a reality. Now she had the choice to go to that dream or go through a red door leading to an unknown destination._

_She was dead, she was almost sure of that. So shouldn't the paradise be where she finds her peace? But somehow it did not feel right. Dying would mean the Mindflayer has control of her, living- well she wasn't even sure if that was an option anymore._

_Standing at a line between two uncertain choices, she waiting for the only thing that was certain. Mike._

Mike could feel himself getting light headed as the heat rose. He remained clutched to her side, crying out for her to come back. "I love you...I p-promised I would protect you." He sobbed.

His eyes met her's and found no sign of life of movement yet he could not bare the thought of giving up on her.

"And I meant every word I said

When I said that I love you

I meant that I love you forever..." he began to quietly sing the words to one of their favorite songs. He had always told her that the song expressed the feelings he had for her.

"_And I'm gonna keep on lovin' you_

_Cause it's the only thing I wanna do_

_I don't wanna sleep_

_I just wanna keep on lovin' you..." Eleven could hear Mike's voice in the void. It brought tears to her eyes and she suddenly felt completed compelled to return. It was unknown how or if she could return but nothing was going to stop her from trying._

Will knocked on the sauna glass, "Mike I'm turning it off!" He yelled. Will's words were mumbled as he felt himself drifting into unconsciousness.

_Eleven ran to the red door. With a deep breath, she opened the door deciding that whatever lied inside it had to be better than death and separation from her family._

Will turned the sauna off and swung the door open. Right as he opened the door, Eleven gasped awake and began a fit of pained coughs. Mike pushed out of feeling of unconsciousness and brought his hands to her face in excitement. "El!" He yelled out. His voice was not completely filled with hope since he was still weary.

Will ran to the other side of her and held her hand. "Hand me a shirt or something!" He yelled. Dustin tossed him a towel he had found in a locker. Will pressed it to her stomach only for his eyes to widen in shock. "M-Mike." He stuttered. Mike gaped at the sight of her wound which was now almost healed. It still bled but far less than it had been before.

Mike leaned her against his chest and wiped the blood from her mouth with his shirt sleeve. Her hand moved upward to find his face as tears escaped her eyes. Mike held her hand and kissed her forehead as he also cried now happy tears. "H-He's gone..." she revealed.

Everyone smiled feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. "He's gone..." she whispered again as affirmation to more herself than anyone else.

"How...how did you..." Will began wiping his tears. She gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm not done here yet...I had a family to get back to." Eleven said gently.

Mike shakily slipped her ring back onto her finger. He placed a hand on her cheek and wiped her tears. "I love you...so much." He gave a content smile.

"I love you too..." she smiled back at him before attempting to stand. "It's not over yet. I need to close it." She looked to the gate and stood with Will and Mike's help.

The Mindflayer was gone, now all that is left is the final gate.


	14. Light Within the Darkness

**Wow, three months. So sorry for leaving you all on that cliffhanger for so long, I had a lot going on in my life. Anyway! this story is wrapping up, there will probably only be one more chapter after this. Thank you for the support and reviews as always! -An Unknown Stranger. **

* * *

Mike and Will assisted Eleven out of the sauna. Lucas, Dustin, and Max began to crowd around them, looking at Eleven with tears of joy. As much as she wanted to share her friends excitement, her weakness overtook her causing her legs to give out. Will and Mike stumbled forward and grabbed onto her tightly with concern in both their eyes.

"I...I need to sit." She said tiredly. Mike and Will leaned her against the wall and sat down beside her. Her complexion was still pale and her body drenched in both a mix of sweat and blood.

"She can't close the gate...not like this. It will kill her." Mike explained to everyone firmly.

"What other choice do we have? It has to be closed." Lucas replied gently.

"Let's try to get a hold of Hopper." Dustin fumbled around for the supercom and scanned for the right station.

"Hopper...Hopper are you there? Come in Hopper." Dustin repeated.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hopper placed Jonathan in the back seat and instructed Joyce and Nancy how to keep his wound sealed. He then hopped in the front seat and began starting the car up. "Hopper...Hopper are you there? Come in Hopper." Dustin voice rang through the Will's supercom.

"Yeah I'm here, we are headed to the hospital Jonathan's hurt. How's El? Is the gate closed?" He replied quickly as he began backing the car up.

"Um El died." Dustin's voice answered.

The car came to a sudden holt and shock overcame Hopper as he was momentarily unable to move or breathe. Joyce and must have been experiencing the same since the car was entirely silent.

"-she came back though and now she's too weak to close the gate." Dustin added quickly.

"Son-of-a-bitch Henderson, lead with that next time." Hopper replied as he pressed his forehead to the wheel. He felt relief wash over him as his world suddenly realigned.

"Sorry Hop- we just don't know what to do now." Dustin sighed.

"The portal machine is out of the equation. I have to take Jonathan to the hospital or he will die. Our best bet is to wait for El to regain her strength." Hopper explained as he began driving.

Dustin looked over to Eleven, who had fallen unconscious against Mike's shoulder. "Not sure we have that kind of time. What if the Mindflayer breaks back through?" Dustin asked.

Hopper ran a hand through his hair and looked back to Joyce. "New plan, Joyce will drop me off at the pool and then her and Nancy will take Jonathan to the hospital. "Copy that." Dustin replied before putting the com down.

"What do you plan to do?" Joyce asked Hopper.

"Be there for my daughter." He replied as he looked to Joyce in the rear-view mirror. She gave a nod before returning her attention to Jonathan.

It didn't take long for Hopper to drift into the community pool parking lot. He jumped out and Nancy took over driving. "Call me when you know how he will do..." Hopper instructed.

Nancy nodded before stepping on the gas. Hopper ran into the sauna room and found Mike, Eleven, Will, and the other's sat across from the gate. Hopper quickly knelt down beside his daughter and placed his hand on her cheek. She failed to stir at the slightest so he locked eyes with Mike. "She sacrificed herself to save Will...then we got the Mindflayer out of her and she came back. It took a lot out of her." Mike explained gently.

"She's a fighter..." Hopper gave a soft proud smile. Mike nodded in agreement before looking at everyone. "So what's the plan?" Mike questioned softly.

"Only El can close the gate...so we have no choice but to wait. If anything decides to jump out of that gate then it will be our turn to protect her and this town." Hopper explained firmly.

Mike gave a nod while Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max clutched their weapons.

_Meanwhile, Eleven found herself in complete darkness. It was like the void but no water drenched the floor and it was not large enough to make her voice echo._

_That is when she realized she had done was she had been attempting to do since she escaped her mind prison. Eleven now stood within the Mindflayers consciousness with a sense of accomplishment. She had now done the very thing the Mindflayer had inflicted on her. Control._

_Eleven was unaware of how she had gathered the strength she did to possess such a power to take control of the Mindflayer. A simple explanation was the amount of envy she held to end it all, once and for all._

Although she could see nothing, she somehow knew where she was and where she had to go. That was before she was yanked back into her own world.

Eleven gasped awake and gripped Mike's hand tightly. "El...It's okay." Mike's soothing voice comforted as her eyes scanned his face.

"I'm here now, kid." Hopper gave her hand a squeeze and placed a hand on the side of her head.

As much as she wanted to jump into his arms, she needed to keep what little strength she had to return to the Mindflayers realm.

"I have..I have to go back..." she mumbled tiredly. "Back where?" Mike questioned. Everyone sat around her listening intently.

"I was in...the Mindflayers mind." She replied with a hint of uncertainty herself. Everyone furrowed their brows with confusion plastered across all of their faces.

"You're weak El...you were probably dreaming." Mike said gently.

She shook her head. "It...it wasn't a dream. I-I have to go back..." her voice began to fade as she felt herself drifting into unconsciousness.

"We need to get her to the hospital." Hopper said firmly. The jacket pressed against her stomach began to soak with blood. "She's losing too much..." Everyone could hear the panic and worry in Hopper voice except for El. She was firm about staying.

Hopper locked eyes with Eleven and began to feel his eyes brim with tears. The weakness in her eyes was something he never wanted to see. "Trust me...please. I can stop...this." Her voice was quiet yet begged for him to hear her completely.

Hopper looked to Mike who seemed just as unsure of what to do. His eyes wandered back to Eleven as he hesitantly nodded. "If you don't wake up in five minuets...we're done. Understand?" Hoppers voice was stern yet held to utmost despair.

"Promise..." she replied before closing her eyes. Mike and Hopper felt her grip looses from theirs.

* * *

Meanwhile, Joyce and Nancy followed as a team of medics pushed Jonathan on a gurney through the halls. They were only cut off from him when the doors of the surgery room closed it front of them.

Joyce held Nancy's hand as they walked to the waiting room. "He's going to be okay..." Joyce assured not only Nancy but herself as well.

"What if...what if El can't close the other portal and this was all for nothing?" Nancy asked brokenly.

"No matter what happens, what matters is that we tried. We didn't give up and neither will Jonathan and El." Joyce's voice was soft but full of strength and hope. Nancy leaned her head onto Joyce's shoulder and felt comforted by her words.

* * *

_Eleven found herself again in the darkness of the Mindflayer's mind. She took a step forward, now confident in where she was meant to go._

_The further she walked the more decay she began to witness within the creature. The darkness was soon occupied by a black tar substance and eroding black dirt. The Mindflayer was weak and sick, she knew that much was true. It would only make it easier for her to close the portal from within._

_Upon closer observation, Eleven came across several bodies lying lifeless within the black tar. Some she recognized belonging to Billy, Brenner, and the only woman Nancy and Jonathan had described._

_The sight of the innocent people the Mindflayer had claimed made her increasingly motivated to destroy it once and for all. Even if it took her own life._

_It felt like several minutes before her eyes locked onto the gate. From the inside, she could plainly see her family on the other side expressing concern over her unconscious form. Once witnessing that sight, Eleven realized that closing this gate would be different than before. While hatred and fear had compelled her to close the last gate before, love and courage would allow her to close the final gate._

_Eleven raised her arm and focused on her family. Looking through the Mindflayer's eyes only made her feel more obliged to push away its thoughts and hatred toward the world outside the Upsidedown._

"Okay, that's enough." Hopper began to pick her up until Mike gripped his arm. "Stop." Mike said firmly as he stared at the gate. Hopper as well as everyone else turned to the gate with relief on their faces.

They observed as the gate began to close up until it was finally nothing more than a cement wall. "She did it..." Will felt tears of joy drip down his cheeks. All of the fear and resentment he had bottled up could finally be destroyed with the Mindflayer.

Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Will began hugging each other, full of excitement and a feeling of accomplishment.

Mike and Hopper turned their focus back to Eleven who hadn't stirred. "El..." Mike's concerned voice quieted the groups happy cheers.

Hopper placed two fingers on her neck in search for a pulse. "El, wake up. You're not done yet." Hopper pleaded as tears fell down his cheeks.

Eleven suddenly gasped awake and locked eyes with her father. A mix of contentment and solace washed over him before he pulled her into a tight hug. He rested his cheek on top of her head and cried. "No more of that, okay. I'm not losing you ever again." He sighed deeply.

Her body screamed for him to release her but at the same time she never wanted to leave his arms again.

Once he did release her, Mike immediately pulled her in close and kissed her forehead. "Alright, now we are taking you to the hospital." She allowed Hopper to lift her up and carry her to the car. On the way, her head rested on Mike's lap and she couldn't help but smile. It was all finally over. The life she had always wanted was now in her gasp.

When they got to the hospital, Eleven was whisked away in a gurney by medics. Hopper and the others were not allowed to follow as well. Hopper sat beside Joyce with a inquisitive look on his face. "I still haven't heard anything..." Joyce answered with a sad expression.

"I'm sure he will be okay...they both will." Hopper pulled her close to his chest to comfort her. Neither one needed to say more. They simply felt content in one another arms as they waited to hear the fate of their children.


	15. The Light

**Wow I actually finished, took me only another 3 months. Sorry! Thank you for sticking with this story and supporting it. I don't know when or if I will write again due to my crazy life. I appreciate all the love I have had for my stories. Thank you! **

**-AnUnknownStranger**

* * *

Blurriness clouded her vision as she awoke in her dimly lit hospital room. She kept her eyes fixed on the ceiling to find a sense of what had happened. Nothing was coming to mind.

She had been so deep in her mind attempting to retrieve her memory that she hadn't noticed the hand tightening around her own. Eleven looked over and saw Hopper leaned back, his eyes closed but hand remaining grasped with hers.

She smiled at the sight of her father next to her. A memory flashed in her mind of the many times she'd find him passed out in his recliner watching Miami Vice. At the time she didn't think she'd miss that. Eleven almost didn't want to disturb his slumber but also couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. The Mindflayer had deprived her of a great reunion.

Eleven grasped his hand with both of hers and gave it a squeeze. She was happy that was all it took to wake him up. A smile appeared of his tired face as he sat up. "Hey, kid." His gruff voice almost cracked with tears.

Although it pained her, Eleven leaned forward and embraced Hopper as tight as she could. "I missed you..." Eleven said gently. "I missed you too..." Hopper replied contently.

He leaned back still holding her hand. Eleven winced as she layed back down causing Hopper to frown. "You've been out for almost two weeks..." Hopper informed her. Eleven wasn't surprised by that, the memories that had begun to surface ensured that.

"You really scared me..." Hopper confessed. Eleven could see the concern in his eyes. She gave his hand a squeeze, "it's over now...we won." She assured.

He gave a gentle smile and nodded. Before he could say another word, Eleven became serious. "Jonathan?"

"He made it, he actually got released a couple days ago." Hopper said with relief. Eleven felt relief also wash over her.

"They will be happy to see you're awake. Mike has been here everyday." Hopper rolled his eyes.

Eleven didn't seem to show excitement at the sound of Mike visiting. Hopped furrowed his brows with confusion. "I thought you'd be beaming at that." He gave a short laugh.

"I killed his mom...I did terrible things to all of them. How will they ever forgive me?" Eleven's voice cracked with tears.

Hopper leaned forward. "There's nothing to forgive. That wasn't you and they know that." He said firmly.

"Then why do I feel so guilty?" She whispered.

"I think you are going to feel like that for some time. The Mindflayer used you to do terrible things to the ones you love." Hopper explained gently. "But luckily you have a brother that can help you through that." Hopper gave a small smile and wiped a tear off her cheek.

Eleven sniffed and nodded. "Will's okay?" She asked.

"He's fine and so is everyone else. They are safe because of you." Hopper replied.

"Can I see them?" Eleven asked softly. Hopper smiled. "I'll go call them." He said as he stood and left.

About a half hour later, Joyce, Will, and Jonathan entered the hospital room with smiling faces. Will was the first to run and embrace her with his good arm. Jonathan gave her a hug, followed by Joyce. "I'm so happy you're okay. You are so brave and strong." Joyce shed happy tears as she sat beside Eleven. "The others are on their way." Will informed her. Eleven took a moment to admire the family she had come to have.

Seeing Hopper and the Byers all in one room reminded that she really did win. Despite the lab and the Mindflayer telling her she was undeserving, her family proved otherwise. They proved that she could be loved.

A couple minutes later Mike and Nancy showed up. Eleven felt her heart stop and anxiety begin to rise at the sight of them. The Byers moved to the corner of the room, Hopper stood from his seat beside her and looked to her for permission. She nodded and he joined the Byers.

Eleven had expected to be greeted like a villain to Mike and Nancy for good reason but instead she saw Nancy begin to smile and walk forward.

Nancy embraced Eleven tightly without a hint of distain. Over Nancy's shoulder she could see Hopper walking out of the room with the Byers. Eleven released Nancy and began to recede. Nancy noticed and also pulled away. "How can you hug me right now? How can you even look at me?" Eleven asked with overwhelming confusion.

Nancy stepped back and knew Mike would be the best one to approach her. He sat down and held her hands. "Because we love you and that-" he held back tears. "That wasn't you. The Mindflayer was controlling you...I know you would never do that." Mike said firmly.

Eleven pulled him to her and sobbed in his shoulder. "I'm still so sorry." She cried. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I love you and nothing will change that." He could feel tears run down his cheeks as he kissed her forehead.

She leaned back as he moved to sit beside her on the edge of the bed. He held her hand and slipped the promise ring onto it. "Do I need to remind you of what this means again?" He sniffled. She shook her head and placed her hand on each side of his face. He leaned forward and kissed her gently until Nancy cleared her throat. They stopped and saw the others now standing behind her.

"You're holding up the line, Mike!" Dustin joked. Mike and Eleven gave a short laugh before he stood aside. Lucas, Max, and Dustin took turns hugging her and retelling their version of the battle. Apparently, Dustin defeated the Mindflayers army single-handedly but Lucas, Max, and Will had a different memory of that.

After a couple more days, Eleven was released from the hospital and went back to Jonathan and Nancy's apartment. Hopper was temporarily staying there too so things were a little crowded.

When their last day of vacation came, they decided to have another Christmas morning for Eleven. They all exchange some gifts that they had saved while adding a couple more for Hopper. He mainly got new clothes and a invitation to live with El and the Byers. Hopper gladly accepted it, he wasn't about to be separated from Eleven again.

Mike pulled Eleven to the side and they exchanged gifts. "I said no more gifts Mike." Eleven fought. "I promise this is the last one." He laughed.

"Fine. You open yours first." She said firmly. He smirked and began unwrapping his gift. It was a photo of the both of them Karen had taken at the Christmas dinner. Mike smiled and pulled Eleven into a tight hug. "I love it." He said softly. He pulled away and looked to her gift with anticipation.

"Why are you so excited." She laughed as she began unwrapping it.

"Let's just say, I know where to put that frame." He smirked.

She opened the box to find a single key inside. "A key?" She furrowed her brows.

"Remember that apartment we were looking at?" Mike asked with a raised brow.

"Mike you didn't!" Eleven yelled at him. Everyone turned to look at them.

"What did Mike do?" Hopper questioned.

Joyce turned Hoppers head and shook hers. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the gifts.

"My dad said he's paying for it until we move in. I guess he's starting to pay attention now that...anyway it's ours." He smiled.

"You realize I won't be moving back till after I graduate in a couple months?" Eleven asked curiously.

"I know, for now it'll be where Dustin, Lucas, Max, and I can hang." He shrugged.

Eleven wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I love you." She held him like at any moment he could slip away, or worse, she'd be pulled away. He was the one that brought her back and saved her from losing herself. "I love you too." He held her just as tight not wanting to ever let her go.

"Alright, Mike come show me what you got El!" Hopper waved him over.

"Oh yeah, I haven't told Hopper..." Mike informed El with a hint of fear.

"Guess it's my turn to save you." Eleven sighed and pulled him with her.


End file.
